KPMG’s Stavros Economides admits to stabbing volunteer
Stavros Economides from global tax firm KPMG has pleaded guilty to stabbing Tony Abbott campaign worker Jonathan Malota while putting posters up on the eve of the federal election.
NSW
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A senior partner in global tax firm KPMG’s Sydney office has pleaded guilty to stabbing one of Tony Abbott’s campaign workers with a corkscrew on the eve of the federal election.
Stavros Economides, known as Steven, poked 31-year-old Jonathan Malota with the corkscrew after earlier threatening teenager Rafe Harrison-Murray, 18, as they were putting up election posters outside a school at Balgowlah Heights.
Police said Economides, 62, attacked the men — both volunteers — about 8pm on May 17 and tore down the posters before running from the school.
The injured man was treated by paramedics but did not need hospitalisation.
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Mr Malota told The Sunday Telegraph the following day they had been putting the final posters up on the edge of the school when they were confronted by a man “who looked like he was power walking past.”
“But then he did a quick turn, stepped on the retaining wall and said … take that sign down.” The volunteers alleged the man told them it was independent candidate Zali Steggall’s territory and began ripping down the Liberal campaign posters.
Police arrested the tax consultant at a home in nearby Balgowlah Heights within hours and charged him with two counts of common assault.
He is on bail and due to appear in Manly Court for sentencing on July 4.
Economides has been a partner in KPMG’s Sydney offices since 1987.
He provides “advice on brown fields and green fields infrastructure investments”, according to his Linkedin profile.
He also works on “all aspects of mergers and acquisition”.
KPMG declined to comment when contacted by The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday night.
Ms Steggall, who toppled Mr Abbott in the seat of Warringah, later described the incident as “appalling” but said she did not believe the culprit was linked to her campaign.
The defeated former PM claimed the incident was an example of the low blows that made the 2019 campaign an ugly one.
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