Federal election 2019: ‘Disgraceful’ sign in Cantonese sparks complaints while Islamophobic graffiti outrages

The Liberals have been lashed for hitting a “new low” after voters translated a sign that’s been spotted at polling places.

Labor and Greens volunteers have lashed the Liberal Party after signs using the Australian Electoral Commission colours and written in Mandarin were spotted at polling booths.

The signs, which have been seen across a number of electorates in Melbourne, tell voters the “correct way” to vote is by putting a number 1 next to the Liberal candidate.

The sign then directs voters to number the rest of the boxes to ensure the vote is counted.

A banner in the seat of Chisholm in Melbourne has prompted accusations of dirty tactics.

A photo of the sign was shared by Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari and shows the Mandarin sign sitting next to an AEC banner.

The electorate Mr Hilakari saw the signs in was Chisholm, a marginal Melbourne seat.

Mr Hilakari later took to Twitter to claim they tried to pull down the signs but the Liberal campaigner said they would call the police.

The Greens confirmed they also spotted the signs in Kooyong, held by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

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Liberals have made signs in Chinese that look like AEC signs but tell people the correct way to vote is to put a one next to the Liberals.

The signs have caused widespread anger on social media, with ABC’s Virginia Trioli saying the tactic was “pretty extraordinary” and called on the AEC to take action.

The AEC has since responded, with the commission’s spokesman Evan Ekin-Smyth confirming the posters did not need to be taken down as they were properly authorised and no laws had been breached.

“Under electoral legislation election material has to comply with the following: it has to be authorised and cannot be within six metres of the entrance to the polling place,” the AEC said.

When pushed and asked if the signs were “misrepresentation”, the AEC responded again.

The Labor Party has lodged an official complaint with the AEC, a spokesperson confirmed.

“This is a new low — a pathetic and dirty attempt to deceive voters because the Liberals have no policy to talk about,” the spokesperson said.

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Campaign signs for Shireen Morris have been defaced in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Labor’s candidate for Deakin Shireen Morris has been targeted by vandals, with some of her signs being defaced to make it look like she’s wearing Islamic headdress.

Ms Morris took to Twitter to lash the vandalism, calling it “disgraceful”.

Campaign signs for Shireen Morris have been defaced in Melbourne.

Liberal MP Michael Sukkar holds Deakin, in Melbourne’s east, by a 6.44 per cent margin.

But Mr Sukkar is in for a fight after he was targeted by union ads for backing Peter Dutton and also had to face being dumped from the front bench after Scott Morrison became prime minister.

Ms Morris received overwhelming support after sharing the pictures on social media.

ABC’s Patricia Karvelas called the graffiti “repulsive” while former NSW Premier turned senator Kristina Keneally called it “disgusting”.