Election sign scandal resurfaces as Lytton campaign kicks off with candidates including porn star

An ALP  scandal in which election signs were criminally damaged, has resurfaced to overshadow the Lytton election campaign, already made colourful when a US porn star entered the contest.

George Droutsas, left, a former mayor from Victoria, is organising the election campaign for Lytton MP Joan Pease, top; with Lytton candidates clockwise, LNP’s Chad Gardiner; the Greens Jade Whitla; Family First’s Jim Vote; One Nation’s David White and Independent and ex-porn star Craig Moore.

A controversial former mayor of a Melbourne council who has strong ties to the federal Labor Party, has taken on a new role in Queensland, running the election campaign for Lytton MP Joan Pease.

Ex-Whitehorse mayor George Droutsas raised eyebrows when he was recently spotted supporting Ms Pease, a senior Government member, at a meet-the-candidates forum in Wynnum on Thursday.

At the Wynnum event, Mr Droutsas was seen checking the venue before Ms Pease’s arrival and was later introduced to the crowd as an employee of the Parliamentary Services, the body which hires government electorate staff.

Victorian Labor senior election campaign officer, George Droutsas, outside the Magistrates Court in Melbourne.

Mr Droutsas made headlines during the 2016 federal election, when he and three other Labor figures were charged with theft of property and criminal damage after election signs and posters in the federal seat of Port Melbourne were vandalised.

The four had been campaigning to help outspoken Labor MP Michael Danby retain his Port of Melbourne seat.

They were accused of an early morning attack on Liberal and Greens promotional material at polling booths from Elwood to Port Melbourne on July 2, 2016.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court penalised the four under the court’s diversion program in March 2017.

The program allows people charged with minor matters to avoid having criminal records.

Both Mr Droutsas and Ms Pease were contacted for comment.

Ex-porn star Craig Moore is campaigning for the seat of Lytton. Picture: Facebook

Including Ms Pease, who holds the seat with a 13.35 per cent margin, the electorate has attracted six contenders ahead of nominations closing on Tuesday, October 8 at 12pm.

Former porn star and Independent Craig Moore, 57, worked in Los Angeles making adult films under the name Crocodile Man.

He starred in 97 adult films under the stage names of Aussie Craig, Aussie Thunder and Crocodile Man.

He appeared in various series such as Barely Legal, Big Sausage Pizza, Busty Beauties and Fast Times at Deep Crack High.

Craig Moore had a successful career in the US making adult movies.

LNP candidate Chad Gardiner is a government adviser and lives in the area with his wife and children and is running on a ticket to tackle youth crime, cost pressures, health services, and home ownership.

Greens candidate Jade Whitla is a scientist, former air force officer, and software architect known for her work with the Queensland internet start-up, Wotif.com.

She has lived in Wynnum for 16 years, raising a child and running her own home business as a software developer, while actively engaging with the community through various local activities.

Lytton candidates, from left; LNP’s Chad Gardiner; Greens Jade Whitla; One Nation’s David White and Family First’s James Vote.

One Nation’s David White is a Wynnum business owner, husband and father involved in Scouts, Girl Guides, and local churches. He is focused on immigration control, regional development, and opposing lockdown measures.

Jim (James) Vote, from the Family First Party, worked as a skilled radio technician in Rabaul, Port Moresby, and Sydney, and also has qualifications in Chinese medicine.

He lives on Brisbane’s Bayside and is a dedicated family man with seven adult children, 18 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, and remains an active member of his community and church.

Candidates will find out where their name is on the ballot on Tuesday at 2.30pm with early voting starting on Monday, October 14 and running until Friday October 25 from 8am to 6pm.

Postal vote applications close on Monday, October 14 at 7pm with the deadline for postal ballots to be returned on Tuesday, November 5. 

Originally published as Election sign scandal resurfaces as Lytton campaign kicks off with candidates including porn star