Michael Daley’s brothers in fracas over NSW election material
Michael Daley’s brothers have been involved in a fracas over election material in his seat of Maroubra with police called in to investigate after they felt threatened by a man wielding garden shears.
Michael Daley’s brothers have been caught up in a fracas over election material in his seat of Maroubra with police called in to investigate after they felt threatened by a man wielding garden shears.
The Southern Courier can reveal police are investigating the incident on Friday night outside the Maroubra Bowling Club on Mons Avenue.
It’s understood three men, including Mr Daley’s brothers, were involved in an “altercation” with another man about 9.30pm while they were erecting placards in the area.
It’s understood Peter and Paul Daley were not violent during the incident.
Police said there was a “brief struggle between two of the men” before all four left the area.
No one was seriously injured but police continue to investigate the incident.
Michael Daley declined to comment.
The Daily Telegraph has obtained witness statements from Mr Daley’s two brothers and the third man they were working with when the incident occurred.
The statements were given to police at Maroubra Police Station on March 15.
In a witness statement one man believed to be one of the brothers says the trio had been putting up posters on telegraph poles in Little Bay, La Perouse and Maroubra since 4.30pm that day.
About 9.30pm they were putting posters on a telegraph pole on Mons Avenue, just near the Maroubra Bowling Club, when a man said “take the f***ing things down or I will” before approaching them.
“The male said “I’ve got a Liberal party function here tomorrow, take the f***ing thing down or I will” he was still walking towards us at this point,” the statement says.
“I said “Mate, I’m sorry I can’t take it down, I’ve just put a f***ing screw in it”. The male said “Right that’s it”.”
The man than went to the back of the building for about 10 seconds and one of Mr Daley’s brothers said “let’s get the f*** out of here because this guys nuts”, the statement says.
“The male then walked from the back of the building and started walking towards us holding a pair of garden shears. They were about a foot in length. I believe they had lighter coloured handles. He was holding them with one of his hands and was holding it slightly up out to the side of his body, just slightly above his waist, so that we could see that he had them.”
“The male said “Take the f***ing thing down”. I said “mate, calm down we’re going”. The male said “I don’t give a f***, I’m going to take them down”.”
In the statement, a man, believed to be one of Mr Daley’s brothers, says he was worried the man was going to stab or hurt them.
“I was actually panicking at this stage,” the statement says.
A statement from another one of the three men says they called police during the incident, worried they were going to be attacked.
In that statement, it’s alleged the fourth man came at the group with a ladder with one man being hit in the head with it. He suffered cuts to his chin, fingers and eyebrow.
The man who was brandishing the garden shearers — and was wearing an apron — at one point during the fracas fell to the ground and suffered a cut to his eyebrow and fingers.
A NSW Labor spokesman confirmed the brothers account of the incident.
“On Friday night, three Labor volunteers were abused and assaulted by a man holding garden shears, who claimed to have an association with the Liberal Party, as they attempted to erect campaign corflutes in Maroubra,” the spokesman said.
“The Labor volunteers attempted to de-escalate the situation at every opportunity, however were verbally and physically assaulted by the man in question.”
“The Labor volunteers called the police and provided statutory declarations outlining the conduct of the man.”
“Our Party stands by the conduct of our Labor volunteers, and we thank the police for taking swift action on the evening to ensure their safety.”
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