NORTHERN Territory police are investigating the vandalism of election campaign signs across Katherine.
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Superintendent Lauren Hill said there had been a complaint made about damage to campaign signs but the offenders were as yet unknown.
Superintendent Hill said damaging the corflutes was a criminal offence that could attract criminal damage charges.
The complaints came after vandals took to incumbent Member for Katherine Willem Westra van Holthe’s signs with a stencil reading ‘no fracking way’, overnight on Tuesday.
Stage two of the vandalism came on Wednesday night when the incumbent's photo was covered with stickers on several of the signs.
Mr Westra van Holthe said he was alerted to the defaced corflutes while campaigning on the South Stuart Highway.
“There’s absolutely no need for people to deface corflutes. It really shows a puerile, childish, nasty side to those individuals,” he said.
“I feel for the many volunteers who have helped me with my campaign and put in countless hours in putting these signs up.”
Labor candidate for Katherine Sandra Nelson had the same issue earlier in the year with several corflutes in front of her house being torn down, vandalised and smeared with dog faeces.
Ms Nelson said defacing election campaign signs was poor form and had no place in politics.
“When I came out publicly and said I would not tolerate it, people commented saying it was part and parcel of politics,” she said.
“It’s not part and parcel of politics. It doesn’t matter who it’s been done to, it’s just atrocious.”
Ms Nelson said there were better ways for people to express their political allegiances than defacing campaign posters.
“The best way to show your political allegiances is on voting day,” she said.
A window in Mr Westra van Holthe’s office in Katherine Terrace was also smashed on Wednesday night, but police said it was unlikely to have been politically motivated, as several other shop front windows were also smashed on the same night.
Northern Territory Police are urging anyone with information on the campaign sign vandalism or the smashed windows to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.