Federal election 2025: Qld candidate’s placards defaced with racist slur

A racist graffiti attack on a Gold Coast federal election candidate’s placards has left witnesses shocked and appalled.

The defaced placards at Currumbin Waters

Police have been called after a Gold Coast-based federal election candidate’s signage was defaced with a shocking racist slur.

The word “n---a” was scrawled on a billboard promoting LNP candidate for McPherson Leon Rebello, who is of Indian origin.

The graffiti attack on the trailer parked at Currumbin Waters shocked one motorist, who called it disgusting.

Mr Rebello said he was appalled.

“The nature of this graffiti is extremely offensive and should be condemned,” he said.

“Racism has no place in our community.

“I would hope that people judge me for what I stand for, as opposed to the colour of my skin.

Leon Rebello

Karen Andrews

“Defacing campaign posters is a criminal offence, and we have reported this matter to Queensland police.”

Mr Rebello is a lawyer who previously worked as a ministerial staffer to then foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop.

He won LNP preselection for McPherson on the southern Gold Coast last year after long-serving MP and former Coalition government minister Karen Andrews announced she was retiring.

Ms Andrews said she was “enormously frustrated” a woman wasn’t preselected to try to replace her, and later praised the “impressive background” of teal candidate Erchana Murray-Bartlett, an ultra-marathon runner.

Labor has chosen a woman, Coolangatta teacher Alice Price, to contest what has long been a blue-ribbon LNP seat.

Originally published as Federal election 2025: Qld candidate’s placards defaced with racist slur