Independent Gold Coast candidate Ron Nightingale has complained to police about rival Sam O’Connor

OUTSPOKEN Bonney independent candidate Ron Nightingale has made a complaint to police about LNP rival Sam O’Connor and his supporters waving placards along a busy road.

LNP Sam O'Connor's support team on Napper Road with placards on the weekend.

OUTSPOKEN Bonney independent candidate Ron Nightingale has complained to police about LNP rival Sam O’Connor and his supporters waving placards along a busy road.

In the first sign that the new Gold Coast seat will be the most hard fought on the Glitter Strip, Mr Nightingale this week made a formal complaint at the Arundel police beat.

In a letter to Mr O’Connor on the weekend, he wrote: “Your antics at Arundel yesterday are inexcusable. You broke the law and put drivers at risk. You failed to instruct your supporters properly and therefore you must take responsibility.”

The courier driver attached a copy of rules about election signage on roads and said he only decided to write a letter of complaint after receiving 32 telephone calls from residents.

“I did not expect you to cause me problems on Father’s Day while I was trying to enjoy my day with my family, I am disappointed,” he wrote.

Courier driver Ron Nightingale — as an independent candidate in Bonney he is not giving out bouquets to the LNP. Photo by Richard Gosling

Mr O’Connor said he had been doorknocking and not on the footpath at Napper Road where his supporters were campaigning, much like those supporting other candidates.

“My supporters did nothing wrong. My team and I are always engaging with locals,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Roadside info booths have been and will continue to be part of how we listen to our community.”

Mr Nightingale believes it was dangerous for Mr O’Connor’s supporters to wave signs on a footpath near where two lanes eastbound on Napper Road merge into one.

He said the supporters were standing 10 metres from the merging lane causing a distraction for residents leaving a nearby retirement village during midmorning shopping on Saturday.

“It’s not rocket science. He could have moved further down the road,” Mr Nightingale said.

LNP’s Sam O’Connor says he will continue to have roadside info sessions for residents. Photo: Jerad Williams

But the former One Nation campaign manager has copped criticism for his van being a traffic distraction after the recently announced independent candidate continued to drive it with Pauline Hanson promotions on the side.

Supporters and opponents have clashed on his Facebook page after Mr Nightingale’s decision not to continue working as a campaign manager for Coast candidates including Brendan Ball in Broadwater.

“God help the good people of the Bonney electorate. What happened Ron?,” a Coast surfer wrote on his Facebook page.

“I mean, you were One Nation’s Gold Coast campaign manager and Brendan Ball’s right-hand man right. Last week your van was covered in Pauline Hanson stickers and now this.”