Perth Voice Interactive

‘UNDERDOG’ state Liberal contender Michelle Sutherland’s campaign signs have been vandalised.

The Mt Lawley candidate says the incident is a “frustrating” aspect of election campaigning. 

One of Cr Sutherland’s signs on Wellington Road displayed her name and picture, the face of which was cut out and thrown away. 

At least two other campaign signs on Beaufort Street were also pushed over. 

A former teacher and current Bayswater councillor, Cr Sutherland says she doesn’t know whether the vandalism was intentional, but it isn’t unexpected given the nature of election campaigning. 

Vandalising

“It could just be people vandalising for the sake of it, or because it’s the election and that’s what can happen,” Cr Sutherland said. 

“I’ve been on the council a long time, so I’m not naive enough to think that these things don’t happen, but it’s just disappointing that when we have elections that we also have this sort of vandalism.”

It’s “frustrating”, according to Cr Sutherland, who will be hoping to flip the Labor-held seat of Mount Lawley at the state election on March 8. 

“Running a campaign is multifaceted, and one of the things you have to do is get your face out there and develop name recognition, and obviously signs do that,” she said. 

“It’s a nuisance, because we’ve had to take the poster down and put a new one up, which of course takes money and time.” 

The signs have been replaced. 

Cr Sutherland will be challenging Labor candidate Frank Paolino, who is replacing Simon Millman after the latter announced his retirement from politics at the end of this term. 

Despite squaring up against a new candidate, Cr Sutherland says it’s “not really an advantage” in the first state election since Labor’s landslide win in 2021. 

“We’re coming from behind because it was a COVID election, so I’m just doing my best to get out there every day and talk to people,” Cr Sutherland said. 

“I see myself as the underdog, because we’re coming from behind so much, but obviously it’s a very unique election.”

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER