ECQ officials issue warning after concerns at polling booth at Birkdale Village

Election officials have issued a warning to volunteers at a voting booth at a busy bayside shopping centre after complaints from election supervisors about blocking shoppers and taking carparks.

Volunteers at Birkdale Village Shopping Centre. Picture: Contributed

Election volunteers at a suburban bayside shopping centre pre-polling booth have been put on notice after complaints they were blocking shoppers, hogging carparks and running on to the road to hand out voting material.

Returning officer for the seat of Oodgeroo Mark Townsend emailed candidates after complaints from electoral commission supervisors patrolling the Birkdale Village Shopping Centre.

On Tuesday, Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen inspected early voting booths across Redland city, which had been the focal point for many complaints during the March local government elections.

During the local council election campaign, the commission was forced to hire security guards in Redland after a bitter court case over mayoral signs and a volunteer alleged being pushed.

Mr Townsend’s email warned candidates to keep volunteers in check after supervisors complained that a Shopping Centre Supervisor was upset with volunteers from all parties.

Birkdale Village Shopping Centre where voters in the Oodgeroo electorate can pre-poll. Picture: Judith Kerr

“There was an issue at the Birkdale Early Voting Centre VC where the Shopping Centre Supervisor was upset with the party workers,” the email said.

“(Complaints were for) Standing in front of shops and restricting the free movement of shoppers going in and out especially in front of the coffee window of the IGA.

“Taking up parking places. Please get your party workers to park away from the shops at the edge of the car park not in the middle and in front of the shops.

“Going onto the carpark road to give out How to Vote cards.

“Whilst I am getting these complaints, these actions are outside my control and jurisdiction as they are outside the six-meter exclusion zone.

“So please advise your party workers at the Birkdale Early Voting Centre to be mindful of their actions.”

The early voting centre at Birkdale Village. Picture: Contributed

Birkdale Village Shopping Centre management said there had been no issues with the volunteers this week and said the busy shopping centre had not been affected.

Oodgeroo Green candidate Callen Sorensen Karklis said volunteers at the booth had been on their best behaviour over the past week and the LNP’s Amanda Stoker said there had been high standards at all booths “unlike the local council election”.

“We have not seen any bad behaviour but I guess the ECQ has looked at all booths — the Electoral Commissioner was in the area on Tuesday and there really have been no major issues,” Mr Sorensen Karklis said.

Oodgeroo candidates from left: LNP’s Amanda Stoker; Greens Callen Sorensen Karklis; One Nation’s Justin Sheil and Labor’s Irene Henley.

The ECQ’s compliance team, which consists of more than 15 specialists, is responsible for investigating a range of electoral matters, including campaign signage, candidate behaviour, and the conduct of campaign workers.

This week, Mr Vidgen reported the behaviour at polling booths had been relatively good, with no major breaches reported.

“The week has gone smoothly so far, and we are seeing strong co-operation between party workers and candidates,” he said.

Candidates for the seat of Oodgeroo, which takes in Birkdale, Wellington Point, Ormiston, Cleveland, and North Stradbroke Island all have volunteers at the centre.

In the Oodgeroo electorate, incumbent Liberal National MP Mark Robinson is not seeking re-election, creating an opportunity for new candidates: Irene Henley from Labor, Amanda Stoker from the Liberal National Party, Callen Sorensen Karklis from the Greens and One Nation’s Justin Sheil.

Mr Robinson won the seat in 2020 with a 4.48 per cent margin and it is still considered a marginal LNP seat.

Originally published as ECQ officials issue warning after concerns at polling booth at Birkdale Village