INDEPENDENT Indi candidate Helen Haines has accused the Nationals of "dirty tricks" after the party claimed she "wasn't anywhere to be seen" on Anzac Day.
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Her claim came as Liberal member for Farrer Sussan Ley had a campaign office window in Albury smashed and more posters defaced with swastikas.
Dr Haines was left furious at a post from the Indi Nationals Twitter account.
It stated a key supporter of Dr Haines and member for Indi Cathy McGowan had tweeted that the RSL was "not being 'community'" and suggested Dr Haines should have condemned that view.
The Indi Nationals tweet then added it was "not surprising, she wasn't anywhere to be seen on #AnzacDay or expressed her acknowledgment of their sacrifice".
Dr Haines responded on Twitter that she attended the dawn service at Wangaratta and march at Wodonga.
She later issued a media release on Sunday, saying "it didn't take long for the dirty tricks to start and we've seen today it's the Nationals who have been first to get into the gutter".
"If the Nats don't believe me perhaps they should ask (Nationals) Senator McKenzie who said hello to both Cathy McGowan and I there," Dr Haines said of her Anzac Day participation.
"I call on the National Party and Mark Byatt to issue a retraction of these false claims and apologise for trying to politicise a day of remembrance like Anzac Day."
When contacted by The Border Mail, Mr Byatt said he was not aware of the tweets and "it wouldn't be something I would do".
Mr Byatt has had a Twitter account since February but is yet to tweet, the Indi Nationals account replied "Noted. Apologies." to Dr Haines' pointing out her Anzac Day attendance and the original tweet has been deleted.
"If they have made a mistake it's only right they retract it," Mr Byatt said.
Meanwhile, Ms Ley has reported the smashed window at her campaign base on the corner of Kiewa and Dean streets to police.
She hopes CCTV cameras installed with federal funding help find the culprit.
"The council quite correctly wanted that area covered by cameras, so hopefully we'll find out the culprit," Ms Ley said.
Also at the weekend campaign posters in the Griffith area were defaced with swastikas following one on the edge of Albury being adorned with the Nazi symbol last week.
"I see that sign as basically an international symbol of hatred," Ms Ley said.
"For someone who grew up in the Middle East it is a particularly offensive sign, but I also know that when people deface things...it is confusing perhaps as to what message they are trying to convey."
