Victoria's electoral commission has limited the number of campaigners allowed at a pre-polling booth in Melbourne's north-west, over concerns about poor behaviour and intimidation.
Reports of threatening behaviour and intimidation by campaigners at pre-polling booths last week prompted the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) to issue cease and desist notices to a number of candidates and parties.
The VEC this morning said it had been "forced" to take further action by limiting the number of campaigners allowed at the pre-poll booth at Watergardens Shopping Centre in Taylors Lakes, in the Sydenham electorate.
Acting electoral commissioner Dana Fleming said the action was "disappointing but necessary" as "a small number of campaigners are consistently behaving poorly".
"The Watergardens early voting centre is a convenient location for voters within Sydenham District. Due to repeated issues by those campaigning outside, we will limit the number of campaigners permitted for each candidate or party listed on the ballot paper for the District," Ms Fleming said.
When the ABC visited the busy booth in traditional Labor heartland on Wednesday, each candidate was limited to two campaigners.
Labor volunteer Khalil said there had been "repeated incidents" by Victorian Socialists campaigners, but it had been friendly overall at the booth.
"I can definitely see why they [the VEC] have done that. It's unfortunate, it limits what we can do, but I understand why they did it … there have definitely been issues," he said.
Freedom Party volunteer Marilyn, who was handing out flyers for Alejandro Ramos, also said the Victorian Socialists had been "stepping on our toes".
Victorian Socialists upper house candidate Liz Walsh said it appeared the VEC had responded after feedback from shopping centre management, which she said was infringing on people's democratic rights.
"Sometimes the election officials think it's intimidating to speak to people," Ms Walsh said.
She said her party wanted to have "meaningful discussions, not just shout slogans at people and shove bits of paper in people's hands".
Greens candidate Maggie Ralph said everyone was "trying to do their best" in the small space allocated for campaigning outside the centre and that from what she had seen, it had been "fairly friendly".
Labor and Darebin Council settle dispute over Northcote signs
Meanwhile, the Labor Party and Darebin City Council have resolved a dispute about political signage in the battleground seat of Northcote.
Yesterday, Labor MP Kat Theophanous launched legal action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against the council, which she claimed illegally took down eight billboards without her knowledge.
But Ms Theophanous's allegations of a "Greens-controlled" council unlawfully removing the materials from private property did not stop the two sides from resolving the issue within 48 hours.
On Wednesday, the Northcote MP agreed to remove her electoral signage by 10 December 2022, two weeks after polling day.
Darebin City Council also agreed that it would not remove the signage before the same date.
Ms Theophanous must also remove any "offensive" graffiti within 24 hours if she is given notice by the council.
In a statement, the council said "a small number of signs were removed by Council that had been the subject of community complaint because of offensive graffiti or were inconsistent with Council's policy on the display of electoral signage".
A spokesperson said councillors had no input into how council officers managed electoral signage under local laws.
The council has been ordered to pay the MP's costs.
