A North East politician has taken out an order against a former political candidate after telling a court about a campaign of abuse.
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Member for Northern Victoria Tania Maxwell told the Wangaratta Magistrates Court the threatening behaviour by the woman, Rhonda Crooks, had been escalating.
The court heard Ms Crooks had been a former Derryn Hinch's Justice Party candidate, which is how she met Ms Maxwell.
Ms Maxwell said she had started a campaign against her including "very threatening and vulgar messages".
"You would say that it's well outside the normal political commentary?" magistrate Peter Dunn asked.
"Certainly it's become very personal," she replied.
Ms Maxwell said the behaviour had escalated to "vile and strange ramblings".
"There would be a short break from social media posts and personal messages when she was in hospital, in the mental health facility," the Member of Parliament said.
"Then I would know she's been released, because those messages would start again.
"As an MP, being so defamatory and the vile language in these personal voice messages ... I feel is highly inappropriate."
Ms Crooks did not appear in court.
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Ms Maxwell said comments had been made suggesting Mr Hinch wa a sex offender, that police will pick him up, that he would be "taken out" and Ms Maxwell and colleagues "wouldn't be far behind him".
She said her police officer husband had also been brought into it.
Ms Maxwell said she wasn't concerned about a physical assault, just Ms Crooks' behaviour on social media.
Mr Dunn adjourned the personal safety intervention order application to June 15 and imposed a temporary order.
Ms Crooks was banned from stalking, assaulting and harassing the MP, making threats, keeping her under surveillance, publishing anything about her, and contacting her by any means.
She is banned from approaching Ms Maxwell and going to her home and Wangaratta electoral office.
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