Sunday service: Templestowe parishioners question Manningham council candidate Isabella Eltaha’s church campaign

Templestowe parishioners have questioned the campaign tactics of a Manningham council candidate who they say handed out flyers at their services after being asked not to.

Templestowe parishoners have questioned the campaign tactics of a Manningham council candidate. Picture: Supplied.

Templestowe churchgoers have questioned the campaign tactics of a would-be councillor after she handed out flyers despite being asked not to lobby for votes at the Sunday service.

Members of the Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Melbourne’s east told the Herald Sun Manningham council candidate Isabella Eltaha attended their church on October 6 as part of her election campaign.

According to VEC documents, Ms Eltaha is running as an independent candidate for the Westerfolds ward.

Isabella Eltaha is running as an independent candidate for the Westerfolds ward. Picture: Supplied

Prior to the service, the church president told Ms Eltaha while she was welcome to attend, she “could not campaign during the litigy or service” or in meetings afterwards, the Herald Sun was told.

The ministry had previously decided the congregation did not want to be aligned with any election candidate or political policies.

Despite the request, a church member of more than 20 years — who asked not to be named — said Ms Eltaha handed out flyers.

“I recognised her face from the posters across the street and spoke to her,” he said.

“She came across as very polite and charming and told me she was an Armenian Christian.”

However, several church members had since said they were “put off-guard” with her handing out flyers and that it was “inappropriate”, he said.

Members of the Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Templestowe said Ms Eltaha attended their church to campaign. Picture: Supplied.

“There are better ways to campaign than going ... to a church you have been asked not to campaign at,” the parishioner said.

“It’s not a good look campaigning at a church.”

The senior parishioner said the congregation was also concerned about whether Ms Eltaha was “being authentic” in her campaigning, after they were told she was also a member of the Alliance of Australian Muslims (AAM).

“Our church is full of people of different ethnicities and not everyone is Greek,” he said.

“I would not have a problem if she came to our church and was honest, but members are confused whether she was being authentic.”

The Herald Sun confirmed a person by the same name as Ms Eltaha was listed as a “supporting individual” on an AAM 2024 Public Statement Of Support document on the organisation’s website.

Ms Eltaha said she was “shocked” anyone had an issue with her attendance at the church.

“I did attend the church on Sunday 6th October ... to pay my respects to a local faith group situated in the ward I am running,” she said.

“I was then enthusiastically invited to attend the customary tea and coffee gathering post the service which I gladly attended. Here I was warmly introduced to community members.”

Ms Eltaha did not answer questions around whether she had campaigned on church grounds despite being asked not to, instead saying she was “never told not to attend”.

She did not comment on whether she had any religious affiliations.

She said any member of the church, or the public, was welcome to contact her to “outline their grievances”.

The Manningham council candidate is the latest to be embroiled in controversial campaigning, after a Herald Sun investigation revealed Victorian councils had separately received more than 200 complaints about “illegal” election signs in the first few weeks of the campaign.

Ballot papers have been sent out for the Victorian council elections, with postal votes due before 6pm Friday October 25.