NOTHING says election time as much as conflicts between the opposing teams over signage. Last federal election the issue rose to prominence with the defacing of Zoe McKenzie’s campaign signage (and vehicle) with vile, misogynistic graffiti. The vandalism garnered national coverage for its “nasty and personal” nature, and a level of confusion due to McKenzie being a relative unknown at the time.
McKenzie’s only substantial work on the peninsula had been with the Committee for Mornington Peninsula, and work as a member of “Save Our Spidercrabs”, campaigning for an exclusion zone around piers to prevent fishing for spider crabs between May to July. Eventually a security camera caught the culprit in the act, and the search was on for the woman responsible (Woman sought over election ‘vandalism’, The News 31/5/22).
Fast forward to election 2025, and signs for different candidates are spread across the peninsula.
It hasn’t taken long for signage to again become a hot issue among the competing teams and their supporters.
McKenzie was also on social media last Tuesday (8 April) pointing out all the “illegally placed” Smith signs, and urging residents to report them to council. “My office has been inundated today with people ringing up to complain about the illegal Teal signs that have gone up all over the Southern Mornington Peninsula. “Can I recommend if you see one that is not connected to a fence you do the only thing you can do which is to ‘Snap, Send Solve”, and send it into council.
“There are rules about what you’re meant to do. They’re only meant to be on fences, and only with the permission of the owner. “So send it into to council and they’ll do their best to make sure all candidates abide by the rules.”
Last Thursday (10 April) Smith was on social media telling peninsula residents that they had over 20 signs stolen that night alone and placed at other properties or illegally. “So if you’ve got a sign on your property that you didn’t ask for please… let us know your address and we’ll come and remove it. “We don’t play these games. We don’t have time for it!”
Speaking to The News, a member of Smith’s campaign team, Lucy Keller, said they had a dedicated team of volunteers who only placed signs where they had been explicitly authorised. The campaign confirmed that dozens of signs — along with car magnets — had been stolen throughout the campaign, with incidents increasing in recent weeks. “There has been a lot of theft. Our signs have been turning up all over the place — in spots we never put them.” Keller added that vandalism and graffiti had also escalated, but the campaign had been overwhelmingly positive, despite the attacks.
By Thursday (10 April) McKenzie had hit social media condemning the destruction of Smith’s signs. “It was not acceptable last time when it was targeted at me, it is certainly not acceptable this time targeted at Ben,” said McKenzie. “If there is somebody doing this who supports my campaign, stop it. If there’s somebody doing this who does not support my campaign, stop it. “This behaviour is criminal and I condemn it. This is not who we are in Flinders.”
First published in the Mornington News – 15 April 2025
