Council 2020: Election signs vandalised across the Gold Coast

Councillor urges candidates to ‘play a clean game’ after hundreds of council election signs are being vandalised each night across the Gold Coast.

COUNCILLOR Pauline Young is urging candidates and their supporters to “play a clean game” to halt vandalism that has damaged hundreds of council election signs across the Gold Coast.

The Bulletin has also been contacted by other candidates including Cr Kristyn Boulton complaining about corflute signs being removed and damaged as signage is rolled out in the lead-up to the March 28 poll.

Signage wrecked for Councillor Kristyn Boulton in the Division 4 campaign in the Gold Coast City Council poll.

But Division 12 has become a hotspot, with candidate Cathy Osborne saying she intended complaining to the Queensland Electoral Commission about “dirty tactics” involving signage during the campaign.

Cr Young, the incumbent councillor in the division, said yesterday she believed candidates were not to blame and suggested “everyone needs to respect their differences”.

“I hope all candidates and their supporters respect the differences of each candidate and just play a clean game. I don’t believe other candidates are doing it. It might be a zealous supporter,” she said.

Cr Boulton, contesting Division 4, has asked supporters to install security cameras to catch the vandals.

One of the corflutes for Councillor Kristyn Boulton which has been damaged.

“Some homes (along Oxley Drive) may already have security cameras along that stretch and I’m looking at installing some as well in certain locations,” she said.

“I’m also meeting with police about it, to make them aware that my personal property is being vandalised and stolen and where that is occurring.”

Ms Osborne said volunteers who had worked at night to distribute her corflutes in Division 12 found about half of them had disappeared the next morning.

Political signage for Councillor Kristyn Boulton which has been damaged in the Division 4 election campaign. Photo: Supplied.

“I well know that during a course of an election campaign signs get vandalised and taken but for so many signs to disappear on the first night of the campaign is very suspicious,” Ms Osborne said.

“My campaign manager considered making an official complaint to the Electoral Commission and the police, but decided against this as we have no concrete evidence to who perpetrated this childish act. Though in saying this, we will be monitoring the situation closely.”

Ms Osborne said a rival candidate, Zac Revere, had “foolishly placed his electoral signage directly in front of ours”.

Mr Revere said three of his signs were stolen and four others damaged, with holes kicked in them and snapped from the post.

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The signage up in Division 12 campaign on the Gold Coast for the council poll. Photo: Supplied.

“I am very lucky to have dedicated and passionate supporters who call or text me when they spot a damaged or missing sign. I have pre-planned for this and have a back-up collection of signs ready to roll out when I receive the call,” he said.

“This happens every election in every division of every city and across our state. If Cathy chooses to invest her time and energy into lodging a complaint to the Electoral Commission, that’s her prerogative.

“I fixed my signs, put them out and got back to work. I met with the Burleigh Men’s Shed today to discuss men’s mental health and doorknocked Burleigh Waters to discuss the increase of petty crime.”

Mr Revere said he had no evidence on who was vandalising his signs.

“But let’s be honest, who cares?,” he said.

“I have residents in Burleigh Waters with drug-affected youth harassing them at 3am, children in Miami crossing busy roads without a zebra crossing and businesses at Nobby still uncertain on their future.

“My signs are irrelevant. It’s my policy that will get me elected in March.”