Poster campaign a sign of the times
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday March 22, 2011
LAKE Macquarie state independent MP and mayor Greg Piper angrily shrugged off comments last night from a Labor councillor who relayed suspicions of illegal campaigning.Cr Daniel Wallace used a Lake Macquarie City Council committee meeting to pass on a resident's complaint that a council utility had been used to transport election campaign posters.Although Cr Wallace did not specify which candidate had allegedly misused the utility, Cr Piper quickly said the signs out the front of the Fennell Bay house were his but he had hired the Holden Rodeo privately.Cr Piper said he had the home owner's permission to erect the signs."Frankly, it's a joke and it shouldn't have been asked, but Cr Wallace has the right to raise it," he said.He said a few of his signs had been defaced or knocked over.The Labor candidate for the seat, Marcus Mariani, told the Newcastle Herald last week that up to 100 of his own posters had been defaced, but Cr Piper said many were placed precariously on busy thoroughfares."This is my eighth election, and never have I seen this kind of silly activity in Lake Macquarie," he said.The utility matter will now be investigated by council general manager Brian Bell.Councillor and Swansea Liberal candidate Garry Edwards asked if an apology could be demanded of Cr Wallace, but Cr Piper rejected the idea.
© 2011 Newcastle Herald
