Teal MP Allegra Spender considering suing Liberal rival over ‘disgraceful accusation’

It’s alleged one of Allegra Spender’s campaign signs in the eastern Sydney seat of Wentworth was placed to cover a poster of the Israeli Bibas family. The MP says the claim is ‘disgraceful’.

Teal MP Allegra Spender. She is considering legal action against her Liberal rival for Wentworth. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

Liberal and teal candidates in a prominent Jewish electorate in Sydney are embroiled in a stoush over election posters allegedly being placed over images of ­Israeli hostages.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender on Friday said she was considering legal action against her Liberal rival, Ro Knox, for making the “disgraceful ­accusation” that one of her campaign signs had been placed to cover up a poster of a family kidnapped from their home during the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Ms Spender’s office provided time-stamped photos showing the poster was fixed first and was not blocking any other material.

But Ms Knox has doubled down on her allegations, saying she would not be “intimidated” by Ms Spender’s legal threats.

The Bibas family of four were kidnapped from their kibbutz home by Hamas. Mother Shiri and young children, Ariel and Kfir, were killed in captivity, with father Yarden surviving.

The family’s plight became a symbol of calls to return all hostages, or their remains, home.

Ms Knox alleged on Thursday that Ms Spender’s team had covered a poster of the Bibas family with their own, calling the alleged move “disrespectful and disappointing”.

Wentworth, which takes in parts of Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs, has one of the largest Jewish-Australian communities of any seat in the country.

Ms Spender, however, called the accusation “completely false” and “disgraceful”, saying she was considering legal action.

“My poster was put up previously, clear of anything else,” the MP said, adding that the volunteer who put it up was Jewish.

The Bibas family.

Time-stamped imagery showing Ms Spender's poster being affixed on Sunday morning.

“The Bibas family poster was inserted later. There is time-stamped photo evidence and a statutory declaration from the volunteer to confirm this.”

The Australian has been provided time-stamped photo evidence by Ms Spender’s team, which shows a poster on a fence on O’Sullivan Road in Woollahra. There is no Bibas family poster. Ms Spender’s team claims they became aware a day later that the Bibas poster had been tucked in behind her poster, without cable ties.

A campaign volunteer then affixed the Bibas family poster with cable ties and moved the MP’s campaign poster further down the fence. The Australian has seen imagery showing the Bibas family poster was tucked in behind Ms Spender’s material and was not secured with cable ties.

Ms Spender said she was “disgusted” by the Liberal Party, adding that she was “considering legal options” and seeking an “unreserved apology” from Ms Knox.

“The tragic conflict overseas and suffering of communities should not be exploited for political gain,” she said.

Wentworth Liberal candidate Ro Knox. Picture: supplied

Posters of Liberal candidate for Wentworth, Ro Knox, were vandalised with Nazi-inspired graffiti. Picture: supplied

On Friday, Ms Knox said she would “not be intimidated” by Ms Spender’s possible legal moves, standing by her allegation that the teal’s campaign team covered the Bibas family poster.

“Ariel and Kfir and their parents were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during the ­October 7 attacks,” Ms Knox said.

“Hamas went on to brutally murder Ariel, Kfir and their mother, Shiri. The Bibas family commemoration poster is a modest and dignified way to remember the Bibas children and their mother.”

Ms Knox’s own posters were defaced this week with Nazi symbols, with the candidate calling it “completely unacceptable” and that her campaign had reported the vandalism to the police.