‘Misleading’: AEC launches investigation into counterfit signs targeting independents

An investigation has been launched into a number of signs put up targeting independent candidates, which have been called “distressing”.

An investigation has been launched into a series of signs discovered on Friday that falsely claim several independent candidates are actually part of The Greens, in what’s been labelled a “dirty trick”.

The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed it had begun probing whether the unauthorised corflutes breached the Commonwealth Electoral Act, after first being alerted to misleading ones about Zali Steggall in Warringah.

Since then independent candidate for Mackellar Sophie Scamps has come forward about identical placards that feature a Greens logo next to her face.

She called them “distressing and upsetting”.

Georgia Steele, who is running as an independent in the seat of Hughes against Craig Kelly, said her real corflutes had been shredded overnight with the fake ones put up in their place.

Ms Steggall called it “dirty tricks”.

A sign that independent candidate Sophie Scamps says is ‘distressing’.

“With just two weeks to go until polling day, my opponents are going low – very low – with fake posters appearing around Warringah suggesting I am somehow both an independent and a member of the Greens,” she said.

“If the matter weren’t so serious it would be a joke.

“I have sought and received confirmation from the Greens that they had no involvement in the posters.”

Dr Scamps accused the Liberal Party of putting the signs up but a spokesman said this was baseless.

“The NSW Liberal Party had no involvement or knowledge of these actions,” he said.

The Australian Electoral Commission are investigating if these Zali Steggall signs breach the Commonwealth Electoral Act. Picture: Lisa Lintern

Zali Steggall ousted Tony Abbott from the Warringah seat at the last election. Picture: Supplied

AEC spokesman Evan Ekin-Smyth said the signs did not appear to be authorised, which was a civil breach of the Electoral Act.

He said it was also possible the signs misled or deceived voters into thinking the independents were candidates for the Greens.

This would be a breach of section 329 which carries up to three years jail or an $11,000 fine for an individual, or $55,000 for a body corporate.

Monique Ryan has also been targeted in Kooyong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Mr Ekin-Smyth urged anyone with information or CCTV to contact the AEC.

The drama comes as the AEC says it has seen repeated instances of election signage that pushes boundaries this campaign period.

“It would be fair to say we’ve been seeing a lot of political communication and signage that’s going a bit further with political logos and colours,” Mr Ekin-Smyth said.

One example is signs which show independent ACT senate candidate David Pocock pulling open his shirt to show a Greens T-shirt underneath.

“Another day, another smear campaign … signs appearing across Canberra portraying me as a Greens candidate are false and part of a deliberate scare campaign by Advance Australia,” he wrote last week.

The sign that suggests David Pocock's policies are in line with the Greens. Picture: Facebook

Mr Ekin-Smyth said that these signs were found not to be a breach of the Electoral Act.

This was because they were authorised by conservative lobby group Advance Australia, now known as ADVANCE, and clearly stated that on the placards.

The superman-style way in which The Greens logo is featured underneath Mr Pocock’s clothes also implied his policies aligned with the party, not that he was actually a part of it.

A spokesman for ADVANCE said they had no involvement in the other signs.

“This is absolutely not ADVANCE,” they said.

“All material produced by ADVANCE is clearly authorised and strictly complies with AEC rules.”

Originally published as ‘Misleading’: AEC launches investigation into counterfit signs targeting independents