Billboard in Rockhampton slammed for being misleading

A billboard showing Bill Shorten holding a Stop Adani sign has sparked anger with some pointing out it’s not what it seems.

The Morrison Government has been accused of dodgy photoshopping to mislead Queensland voters about Bill Shorten’s stance on the Adani mine.

A cropped image of the Labor holding a “Stop Adani” flag is being used on a Coalition billboard in the ultra-marginal seat of Capricornia where many hope to benefit from jobs the mine brings.

However, the image is not what it seems.

It was taken during Labor’s national conference in November when Mr Shorten tried to grab a Stop Adani flag from a protester who stormed the stage.

The protester has been cropped out of the image so Mr Shorten looks like he is holding the flag. Next to the image is an old quote from Mr Shorten: “I don’t support the Adani project.”

An anti-Adani protester gets on stage with Bill Shorten speaks at the Labor Party National Conference in Adelaide in December 16. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

The image has copped flak on social media after Queensland Liberal National senator Matt Canavan posted it on Facebook.

“Bill Shorten denied today that he ever said ‘I don’t support the Adani project’,” the senator’s post said. “This billboard has just gone up in Rockhampton to remind everyone — including Bill — what he actually said. Labor just can’t be trusted.”

Many supported the post and called Mr Shorten a liar.

“The sign says it all Bill Shorten and it quotes you … try denying it,” one man posted.

But others called it out, with another man posting: “That ad is worse than GetUp’s. You need to apologise!”

Bill tries to take the flag away. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

Mr Shorten has been under pressure to state a firm position on the mine after previously saying in March 2018 that he didn’t support the project and it “just doesn’t stack up”.

He has repeatedly refused to rule out a review of the mine’s federal approvals but finally hardened his stance saying: “We are not going to review Adani, full stop. We have no plans.”