Targeting of candidates during federal election campaign 'deeply disturbing', 'utterly unacceptable'

Updated

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described Nazi imagery painted over one of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's billboards as a "deeply disturbing" sign of "ugly hatred" in the election campaign.

Key points: Kristina Keneally likened Scott Morrison's "space invader" move to Mark Latham's infamous 2004 handshake with John Howard

Mr Morrison has laughed off the comparison and denied he had overstepped

Both sides have criticised the targeting of candidates as unacceptable

Mr Frydenberg, who is Jewish, said the swastika and moustache painted over the billboard in his Melbourne seat of Kooyong was emblematic of "a broader and disturbing trend in society of antisemitism and intolerance".

"[The] vandalism of my posters was not only a criminal and cowardly act, it was an insult to all the victims of the Holocaust and to every Australian serviceman and woman who served in our armed forces against tyranny," he said on ABC's Insiders.

"We need to have a debate about ideas and about people's words and actions, but we can't sanction or greenlight such intolerant views."

Mr Morrison said a supporter of Victorian Liberal MP Sarah Henderson had also been recently targeted during the campaign.

"One of the worst stories I have heard — true story — Sarah Henderson told me about it, she's obviously the Liberal member for Corangamite, down near Geelong," he said.

"One of her supporters had a poster of her in her yard. Someone shot her dog and put the body of the dog below her sign. I mean this is just appalling.

"Sure, we can disagree about these things but that doesn't give anyone the right to engage in this sort of ugly hatred."

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police said officers were aware of reports that a dog was shot and killed at a property in Apollo Bay on April 19, before being found by its owner the next day.

Police have not received an official complaint.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen condemned the vandalism of Mr Frydenberg's campaign material, which has previously been targeted, as "utterly unacceptable".

Prime Minister accused of a 'Mark Latham moment'

Both leaders have also been dealing with the wash-up from Friday night's second leaders' debate, with Labor MPs criticising the Prime Minister's performance as "aggressive".

Opposition leader Bill Shorten described Mr Morrison as a "classic space invader" as the Prime Minister leaned in during a tense discussion about tax policy.

Labor Senator Kristina Keneally likened it to Mark Latham's infamous handshake with former Prime Minister John Howard during the 2004 election campaign.

"Last night we saw the real Scott Morrison. Not the knockabout bloke, not the daggy dad, but someone who is arrogant, aggressive and quite frankly, desperate," she said.

"His space invader moves, they weren't pretty at all."

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Mr Shorten said Mr Morrison's conduct suggested he was "under pressure".

"I have had a lot of people respond and say they would prefer to see their Prime Ministers and Opposition Leaders, keep your cool at all times," he said.

Mr Morrison laughed off the comparison to the handshake and rejected suggestions he had overstepped the mark.

"I was just simply trying to encourage him to tell the truth and to look me in the eye and tell me the truth and he couldn't do that either," he said.

"I'm happy for Bill Shorten to put on a cabaret performance in a debate but that's not how you run a country and I don't think that's what Australians want to see."

The crowd of undecided voters watching the debate handed a narrow victory to Mr Shorten.

More candidates questioned

Both leaders were hoping to move on from the candidate dramas overshadowing the campaign in recent days, as two Labor and three Liberal candidates were disendorsed.

However, Labor's candidate for the West Australian seat of Durack, Sharyn Morrow, is said to be "deeply ashamed" following reports about online comments she allegedly made about refugees in 2013.

"These are inappropriate, old posts and Sharyn is deeply ashamed of them. They don't represent her views," a campaign spokesperson said.

The Liberal Party has defended its candidate for the seat of Canberra, Mina Zaki, after questions were raised about whether she had fully renounced her Afghan citizenship.

"Despite the difficult circumstances, Mina Zaki has indeed managed to renounce her Afghan citizenship and obtain from the Government of that war-torn country documentary confirmation that she has lost her Afghan nationality," a campaign spokesman said.

"She would be an outstanding representative for the people of Canberra."

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-elections, elections, discrimination, australia

First posted