Tasmanian One Nation candidate Adam Lambert catches bus home after truck torched in Hobart
Tasmanian One Nation candidate Adam Lambert is on a bus home tonight after his billboard truck was torched on Hobart’s Eastern Shore.
Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TASMANIAN One Nation candidate Adam Lambert is catching a bus home tonight after his billboard truck was torched on Hobart’s Eastern Shore.
Mr Lambert, who was unsuccessful in gaining a Senate seat in Saturday’s Federal Election, spoke to the Mercury before departing for West Pine in the state’s North this afternoon.
His bags bore the singed scars of Sunday night’s attack.
The truck, which was loaned to the One Nation campaign by a supporter, was set alight just before 5.30pm at the Shoreline shopping centre in Howrah while Mr Lambert went inside to buy flowers for another supporter.
ONE NATION BILLBOARD TRUCK TORCHED IN HOBART
The vehicle, now destroyed, featured large images of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Tasmanian Senate candidates Mr Lambert and Matthew Stephen.
Mr Lambert played down the political motivations and said it looked like a random crime, but One Nation officials have slammed the “outrageous” attack.
Our One Nation truck in Tasmania was parked outside a shop while our candidate was buying groceries. Someone was seen torching it before fleeing.
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) May 19, 2019
It is amazing how the left call for tolerance but act like they’re above the law when you don’t agree with their ideologies. -PH pic.twitter.com/8WHAyasgcc
Ms Hanson blamed the fire on the “left”, while adviser James Ashby said regardless of the motive it was “outrageous behaviour” to have occurring on Tassie’s streets.
Mr Lambert said the bright orange van was designed to stand out.
“It would certainly prompt people to walk over and have a look,” he said.
“They would have noticed lots of combustible material inside, such as paper and corflute signs.
“I don’t know if it’s politically motivated. This sort of stuff shouldn’t happen regardless of whose vehicle it is.”
Mr Lambert said he had been inundated with messages of support in the last 24 hours from people expressing their disappointment and disgust, checking to see if he was OK and thanking him for taking their fight to the arena.
“There’s been a lot of really powerful, emotional and supportive messages, it’s been quite touching,” he said.
He said the party also had a lot of signs defaced and torn down in the Dover region during the campaign.
Mr Lambert said if people don’t like them, don’t vote for them.
MORE OF TODAY’S NEWS:
WILKIE: “I DON’T DO DEALS WITH ANYONE”
MAN CHARGED OVER SERVO ARMED ROBBERY
He said the attack would motivate him for future campaigns.
Tasmania Police were tight-lipped on the incident today and would only say investigations were continuing.
They wouldn’t confirm Ms Hanson’s allegation that someone was seen torching the vehicle before fleeing.
Ms Hanson has taken to social media to condemn the actions of those responsible.
“It is amazing how the left call for tolerance but act like they’re above the law when you don’t agree with their ideologies,” she said on Twitter.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the incident as “un-Australian” on Sky News tonight.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
jack.paynter@news.com.au
Grief stricken parents launch petition for ATV reform
There have been more than 20 deaths involving ATVs in Tasmania since 2000 and now a grieving couple have started a petition for tougher regulations around their use. Read what they want.
Wooley: No easy answer on the question of who to trust
DeepSeek may have copped some criticism, but China and Trump don’t have the monopoly on disinformation, says Charles Wooley