Victorian police investigate bullet hole in independent candidate's campaign sign

Police are investigating a bullet hole discovered in a campaign sign for independent candidate Dr Lachie McKeeman in the Benambra electorate of Victoria. The sign, located on Trimbles Lane in Rutherglen, was reported damaged between the evening of 3 November and the morning of 4 November, and the image on the sign was also defaced, according to a police statement.

McKeeman said a volunteer alerted him to the damage and confirmed that the incident had been reported to authorities. In a video posted to social media, he thanked volunteers for their safety and support, and issued a written statement condemning recent incidents of political intimidation in the state.

"Violence and intimidation, in all their forms, have no place in our democracy or society," McKeeman said, referencing alleged attacks on federal MP Dr Helen Haines and a One Nation volunteer in Torquay.

Haines, who represents the overlapping federal seat of Indi, was injured in a separate incident last month and remains in hospital. A man has been charged in connection with that attack.

The Benambra case follows a recent assault on a One Nation volunteer near Geelong, where two men damaged campaign signs and injured the volunteer. One attacker has been charged with assault, while a 14-year-old received a caution. Victoria Police said the Geelong incident was not being treated as politically motivated.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson expressed concern over the Geelong assault, stating that all parties in the state need to address rising crime.

The Benambra seat, currently held by the Liberal Party, will be open after incumbent MP Bill Tilley announced his retirement. Tilley was re-elected in 2022 with a narrow margin.