Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher slammed for mobile billboard driven past Anzac Day service

Federal Liberal Party candidate Stephanie Asher has faced backlash from the community over an Anzac Day “mistake”. This is why Geelong residents were up in arms on Monday.

A federal Liberal Party candidate has been labelled “disrespectful” after a large mobile billboard was driven directly past an Anzac Day service on multiple occasions on Monday.

Corangamite federal Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher, who is also the Mayor of Geelong, came under fire after her truck-mounted billboard drove past the Drysdale Anzac Day service.

‘That’s low even for a politician”, one commenter said after video of federal Liberal candidate’s mobile billboard driving past an Anzac Day ceremony was shared online

A unnamed spokesman for Ms Asher’s campaign later apologised for the “mistake”.

Curlewis resident Brendan Tenson on Monday shared a video of a truck billboard being driven past the Drysdale Anzac Day service, saying it was the third time it travelled past the sombre occasion.

“We were at the cenotaph at 10.30am, and the van came up the main street heading towards Portarlington, you could see the driver visibly looked over and saw all of us,” Mr Tenson said. “Then did a U-ey and came back the other way and went even slower, then did another lap out.”

“The people close to me were shaking their heads. I thought it was distasteful for what we were doing.

“If he had have just driven up and driven off, it probably would have been nothing, but the fact he did it three times is a bit s--t. They would have known what was going on.”

Mr Tenson shared the video to a community Facebook group, where members slammed the stunt as everything from “disgusting” and “distasteful” to “pathetic” and “opportunistic”.

“That’s a low act even for a politician, let alone an aspiring one,” one Facebook user said.

“Political desperation at its finest. It also demonstrates a lack of ethics as well as a lack of respect for a significant ‘memorial’ event,” another user wrote.

Ms Asher did not respond directly to questions sent to her on Monday regarding the mobile billboards and her knowledge of them being hired to travel the region on Anzac Day. An unnamed spokesperson for Ms Asher’s campaign instead released a short statement.

“Today a mistake was made,” the spokesperson said. “The driver of a rental truck hired as part of our campaign was unaware his regular route would pass by today’s ANZAC service in Drysdale.”

“He immediately left the vicinity without stopping. Nonetheless, we acknowledge the inappropriateness of the truck’s presence and apologise unreservedly.”

Ms Asher attended an Ocean Grove service on Monday, posting a video to Instagram of herself laying a wreath at the ceremony, with the words, “Busy march, inspiring music, heartfelt words, plenty to ponder”.

Originally published as Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher slammed for mobile billboard driven past Anzac Day service