Federal election 2025: Wannon candidate signs stolen

Signs backing independent Wannon candidate Alex Dyson have been stolen from farms and homes, prompting calls for respect.

Numerous campaign signs promoting independent candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson have been stolen from farms and homes across the electorate in recent days, with supporters making reports to police.

And incumbent Liberal MP Dan Tehan has also reported vandalism of his campaign trailer.

It comes as the contest over the seat – widely viewed as a tight race between Tehan and Climate 200-backed Dyson – is expected to go down to the wire in the previously safe and conservative Liberal electorate.

One major donor to the Dyson push, Hamilton farmer Mark Wootton, said he has had four signs stolen from various properties that he and wife Eve Kantor own north of Hamilton. He said he reported the theft and trespass to police.

Another Dyson supporter confirmed she also had signs removed from a home in a main street in Hamilton this week.

Mr Wootton said he had eight signs on the family’s farms. Two were stolen last week from inside the properties and another two were stolen from the boundary fence, facing the Henty Highway in recent days.

Mr Wootton said some in the electorate were “threatened by change and don’t understand what an independent can do but they aren’t entitled to trespass – that is illegal”.

“Now I am nailing signs to the trees well inside the fence and I think I’ll leave them up after the election,” he said.

“Regardless of your views, we should be all able to get along and have different opinions and discuss them in a civil way. It’s not Russia.

“It is sad and disappointing that people can’t live and let live.

“I know Dan Tehan and he and Alex and I all get along well and I hope we always will, it’s not personal.”

Alex Dyson campaign signs on a Portland home. Picture: Kate Dowler

Wannon MP Mr Tehan has called for everyone to respect people’s right to voice an opinion.

Earlier in the campaign he also reported to police that a Liberal campaign trailer had been vandalised.

“When my posters and trailers were vandalised in March, I called for everyone to be respectful,” Mr Tehan said.

Campaign sign for Dan Tehan in a paddock near Dunkeld. Picture: Kate Dowler

Mr Dyson said “as election day nears and the polls tighten, it’s disappointing to see people stoop to this level of grubby campaigning”.

“Our grassroots movement now has 1000 volunteers and we’re focused on running a campaign based on honesty and integrity,” he said.