‘Attack on democracy’: Hundreds of election signs stolen, vandalised across Toowoomba

Political candidates across Toowoomba have raised concerns after hundreds of signs have gone missing or been damaged in the lead up to the October 31 state election.

Damage on a Toowoomba North election sign.

BOTH the Toowoomba North LNP and Labor candidates say dozens of their election signs have been stolen, damaged and vandalised since the election was called two weeks ago.

The LNP’s Trevor Watts said he had about 80 signs stolen or damaged, which equated to about $1000 worth of election material.

“I’ve had about $2.5k worth of damage done to my containers (which have signs on them),” he said.

“The interesting thing about the containers is where they’ve put the graffiti.

“They’ve crossed out the tough on crime (slogan). They’ve crossed out cheaper electricity, but even the vandals want secure jobs because they didn’t cross that out.”

Mr Watts said election signs were an important part of the democratic process and labelled the sign tampering of all candidates an “attack on democracy”.

“Every candidate has the right to put up corflutes and signage in the electorate they are seeking to represent,” he said.

“If you do not agree with a candidate, party or someone’s viewpoint, the place to express that is at the ballot box – not by engaging in potentially criminal activity.”

Damage on a Toowoomba North election sign.

Labor’s Megan O’Hara Sullivan said she believed the sign vandals were people outside the political process.

“Anyone involved in the political process, anyone in my campaign, Trevor’s campaign, they don’t touch signs,” she said

“We all know how much time it takes and effort to put them out.

Cr O’Hara Sullivan said a “huge number” of her signs had been “flogged and wilfully damaged, knocked over and ripped out of their stakes”.

“I’ve only got 14 signs left in Highfields and there were 50 something that went out there,” she said.

If anyone is caught interfering with an election sign they could be charged with wilful damage or theft.