By BRIDGET SCOTT
LIBERAL candidate for Narre Warren North Amanda Stapledon was left outraged after she discovered three of her campaign signs had been vandalised.
Two weeks ago, Ms Stapledon was disturbed to find her signs in Narre Warren North and Hallam had been driven through.
“Someone has driven in over the footpath and into the trees area,” she said.
“They’ve left the two sides and ripped the guts out.”
She said because the sign had been “strongly bolted on” the offenders struggled to remove the middle part and threw the rest of it on the ground.
Another one of her signs had been vandalised with texta.
Ms Stapledon said she had reported the matter to police, saying it was a form of bullying.
“It’s the kind of bullying that shouldn’t be allowed in the election,” she said.
“I am trying to run a positive campaign.’
Ms Stapledon believed it was the work of people who did not want the Liberal Government to be re-elected.
“It’s anti-competitive,” she said.
“We are all in it to win it and this behaviour shuts people down and restricts them from that opportunity.”
“Let’s all run a positive campaign and make it about what our abilities, strengths and policies are.”
Two of the damaged signs had been placed along Maramba Drive on Narre Warren North Road, while the other which was drawn on had been placed diagonally across from Hallam Station.
“It is clear that whoever did this is trying to undermine my campaign and stifle my ability to let people know that I am running,” she said.
Ms Stapledon said a similar thing had happened in previous years.
