An “overenthusiastic supporter” has been blamed for a Marty Corboy campaign sign which broke election rules at the Wangaratta Saleyards.
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A poster promoting the Nationals candidate for Indi was placed at the saleyards ahead of Friday’s big event, which drew a big crowd of potentially key rural voters and a record yarding of close to 5000 head.
But election rules state material such as campaign posters cannot be placed on public property.
Mr Corboy said he understood the rules and did not put the poster up himself.
“An overenthusiastic supporter placed the sign there and once I became aware, I asked him to take it down,” he said.
“We take this campaign very seriously and I’m humbled by the support I’ve received.”
Mr Corboy had been busy putting up large campaign signs on the properties of supporters around the electorate in recent weeks.
Indi election rival Julian Fidge, the Australian Country Party candidate, also noticed the campaign material at the Wangaratta Saleyards last week.
In a post to Mr Corboy’s Facebook campaign page, he compiled a long message full of banter about taking the signs down himself so the “top bloke” did not get into trouble.
“I couldn't fit them into my car, so I had to cut them up into small pieces,” Dr Fidge wrote.
“Even so, some of the pieces were still a little big, so I had to fold those ones up.
“But I did quite a neat job and you should be able to stick them back together without any problems.”
The banter comes less than a week after Dr Fidge told The Border Mail he intended to replace the Nationals as the election option for farmers in Indi.
Mr Corboy confirmed his supporter took the poster down, in contrast to Dr Fidge’s mocking that he left pieces at the police station, but the Nationals candidate would not engage in a war of words.
“I have no comment on his Facebook comment,” Mr Corboy said.