Endorsement stripped from campaign flyer before Amon charged

The sole Liberal candidate in the northern beaches local government election stripped an endorsement from Rory Amon from his flyers — the day before the former MP was charged.

Campaign material for a Liberal candidate running for Northern Beaches Council was stripped of references to former MP Rory Amon the day before Mr Amon was charged with a string of child sex offences.

The change comes despite Liberals — including NSW leader Mark Speakman — insisting they were in the dark about a police investigation into Mr Amon before The Daily Telegraph revealed he had been charged by police.

Campaign material for Mandeep “Sunny” Singh, the sole Liberal who nominated for Northern Beaches Council, initially featured an endorsement from Mr Amon.

“Rory Amon is supporting Sunny,” the flyer said.

It quoted Mr Amon as saying Mr Singh would “stand up for Pittwater and hold (the) State Government and Council’s administration to account”.

That material was registered on August 27. Two days later, on August 29, a new version of the same flyer was registered, with references to Mr Amon removed.

Mr Amon was arrested and charged at Manly Police station at about 6am on Friday, August 30.

Mandeep “Sunny” Singh’s campaign material, with an endorsement from Rory Amon, registered on August 27.

Mr Singh’s updated campaign material, without an endorsement from Rory Amon, registered on August 29.

Asked why he removed references to the former MP on his campaign material, Mr Singh said the NSW Electoral Commission told him to.

He said he was “confused” about why, but said he was told that having an endorsement on a how-to-vote card was not allowed.

Pittwater locals this week claimed on social media they received flyers in their letterboxes still containing an endorsement from Mr Amon, despite the former MP quitting the Liberal Party and politics after being charged.

Mr Amon has denied wrongdoing and has vowed to fight the charges in court.

Mandeep ‘Sunny’ Singh, a Liberal Party member who will run in the election for Northern Beaches Council.

While a Liberal member, Mr Singh is technically running as an independent candidate, as he submitted his nomination himself.

The Electoral Commission said it did not tell Mr Singh to remove the endorsement.

“We did not have any advice or requirements relating to references to Mr Amon on these pieces of electoral material,” a spokeswoman said.

However, the spokeswoman said the electoral commission did seek changes.

“The issues with Mr Singh’s material were the inclusion of a Liberal Party logo which may have suggested to voters that Mr Singh had been nominated by the Liberal Party when he was running as an independent candidate,” the spokeswoman said.

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