Trevor Watts’ sign targeted with abusive language

Tensions have continued to rise in what is turning out to be one of the nastiest election campaigns Toowoomba has seen in years. Here’s what happened overnight.

One of Trevor Watts' election signs was targeted overnight.

Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts had one of his large signs in the electorate targeted by vandals overnight.

The election sign had the word bigot painted to it.

“Often we reveal our own character when we talk about someone else’s,” Mr Watts said in a statement shared to Facebook.

“I’ve noticed other strategies begin to emerge when discussion doesn’t get the results we want.

“Those on the political fringes are resorting to these unacceptable tactics.”

Mr Watts said he invited “those among us who prefer a loud argument over a good one to consider why some political tactics don’t help us”.

“I’d like to get back to serving our community, maintaining a political atmosphere based on values, voters and what will be delivered for Toowoomba North,” he said.

“Not on personal attacks and rhetoric.”

The attacks on the signs were quickly condemned by Labor candidate Megan O’Hara Sullivan.

“This is totally unacceptable,” Cr O’Hara Sullivan said in a statement.

“Whoever did this should face the consequences.

“One of my longest serving volunteers Pat Chambers who has worked on every election in Toowoomba since 2001 was in tears this morning at how this election has unfolded.”

It is not the first time this campaign that signs have been targeted, with several of Mr Watts’ large signs graffitied and destroyed, as well as signs for the Labor and Greens candidates knocked down or destroyed.

Reports of the vandalism came just hours after political candidates called for calm in The Chronicle in what is turning out to be one of the most nasty election campaigns Toowoomba has seen in years.

Today’s @the_chronicle_ front page. Read the story here: https://t.co/0cCItXTb8O pic.twitter.com/avNLHMRyQB

— Tobi Loftus (@tobiloftus) October 23, 2020

“We’re better than this,” Cr O’Hara Sullivan said.

“This isn’t right, politics in Toowoomba should be about common sense, mutual respect and a commitment to work together to get things done – that’s what I’ve always believed and that’s what I’m working for.”

The Chronicle is not suggesting any of the Toowoomba North candidate’s campaigns are behind the issues individual candidates have raised.