Bizarre road sign vandals popping up in one state

The signs have been seen along the highways of a crucial must-win state.

Police are hunting for vandals who defaced speed limit road signs to read ‘No’ across regional South Australia in another mark of a growing ugliness in the Voice to parliament referendum campaign.

Motorists across the state reported the altered signs, with the 110 speed limit figure vandalised to read “No” in an apparent reference to the campaign, now in its final two weeks before the October 14 vote.

A Department of Transportation spokesman confirmed on Wednesday at least two speed signs, one on the Barrier Highway at Burra and another on Worlds End Highway at Robertstown had been vandalised.

“Road signs and infrastructure are very important for driver safety,” the spokesman said.

“Maintenance crews are currently checking other signage in the area for vandalism.

“Defacing road infrastructure is a criminal offence which carries a maximum penalty of $5000 or one year imprisonment.”

A road sign defaced to read 'No' near Arno Bay on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Picture: Snapchat

A South Australian Police spokesman said the police were aware of the vandalism and were investigating.

Under Section 17 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, traffic control devices may only be installed, maintained, altered, operated and removed with the minister’s approval.

The vandalism poses a safety threat to motorists because speed limits in the regions oscillate between 100 and 110 limits.

Leaders from both sides of the campaign have called for greater civility in the contentious debate on Constitutional recognition, which has been tinged with unsavoury rhetoric and behaviour.

Leading No campaigner Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO says he has been subjected to racist abuse during the campaign. He has also been criticised for allegedly encouraging vitriol after he said he would like to see boxer Anthony Mundine fight Yes supporter Thomas Mayo. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE/ Morgan Sette

At a rally in Adelaide to launch the South Australia No campaign in September, No supporters were branded as “racist” and “pigs” by protesters.

Leading No campaigner Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO has been accused of stoking vitriol when he posted to X, formerly Twitter, he would like to see former boxer Anthony Mundine fight Yes advocate Thomas Mayo.

Polls show the No camp ahead with less than two weeks to go and an exit poll conducted by The Adelaide Advertiser suggests a majority of South Australians will likely reject the Voice.

The Advertiser spoke with 291 voters at five different pre-polling booths spread across Greater Adelaide on Tuesday, with 169 saying they voted ‘no’ and 122 saying they voted ‘yes’ for a 58-42 split in favour of No.

Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin (left) stands with Voice supporter Pat Farmer in Adelaide. Yes volunteers hop to make one million calls to undecided voters before October 14. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

But the Yes camp is confident it can still secure victory and Yes23 volunteers plan to make a million phone calls to undecided voters before October 14 to persuade them to vote Yes.

Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin said the Yes camp would focus on “meaningful conversations” with Australians who had not made up their minds.

“We know many Australians are only starting to turn their minds to the referendum now,” he said.

“We’ll be making every effort to engage with these voters and have conversations about the importance of a successful Yes vote.

“We’re turning up the dial when it comes to our engagement with Australians.

“We’ll be having genuine, in-depth conversations with undecided voters about how this is a simple and modest proposal that has come directly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”