Nadia Clancy’s dad revealed as Labor volunteer ripping down polling booth poster
As campaigning heats up at the state’s federal election polling booths, a prominent MP’s father was filmed taking matters into his own hands. Find out what he did.
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A Labor volunteer filmed ripping down an election poster at a seaside early polling booth has been revealed as the father of state Elder MP Nadia Clancy.
As campaigning heats up at the state’s federal election polling booths, Tony Clancy was seen pulling down the poster targeting the Labor and Greens parties that was strung up in the knife-edge seat of Boothby.
Mr Clancy, who is married to former Brighton councillor Rosemary Clancy, appeared to be handing out voting material for sitting Labor federal member Louise Miller-Frost.
The poster was the same type of campaign material that the Australian Electoral Commission had deemed illegal earlier in the week for not having its full authorisation details listed.
Mr Clancy, dressed in a red Labor t-shirt with a black jacket over the top, was seen pulling the poster off a fence near the Brighton surf lifesaving club federal election pre-polling booth.
Ms Miller-Frost is battling to retain Boothby from the Liberal’s Nicolle Flint with a 3.3 per cent margin after the ALP won the seat for the first time in more than 70 years last election.
A profusion of similar election posters popped up in Boothby during the week with the AEC advising ‘M Jonas, Melbourne Victoria’ that they required a full address listed.
“The authorisation particulars are not compliant with the requirements of section 321D of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) because they do not include the individual’s full name and a full street address,” the AEC said.
However, the poster torn down by volunteer Mr Clancy appeared to have been fixed with a sticker across its base that included the full Melbourne address when it was thrown into a nearby rubbish bin.
There is no suggestion the volunteer engaged in unlawful conduct.
An SA Labor spokesperson said that “following a number of incidents of improper authorisation, a volunteer removed a sign”.
“The volunteer has been reminded that any concerns should be raised with the AEC for appropriate action,” she said.
“The Labor Party expects volunteers and candidates of all parties to engage respectfully at polling booths.”
Mitcham Council was forced to remove several of the placards authorised by M Jonas this week after they were illegally strapped to public land fencing along Fullarton Road in Mitcham.
They were authorised by anti-vaxxer Morgan Jonas who established the right-wing Freedom Party of Victoria in 2022.
Today the AEC issued a statement calling on all campaigners to behave respectfully towards voters, one another and AEC staff.
Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope said most interactions near voting centres were cordial, and isolated instances of aggression, intimidation and potential violence near pre-poll venues “are not in keeping with Australian democratic values”.
“Australian federal elections are rightly a time of heightened passion but they’re also famous and admired right across Australia and internationally for respectful behaviour and a festival type environment,” he said.
“While there is a lot of media coverage of incidents occurring, reports of unsavoury behaviour are relatively limited.”
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