The federal election campaign in New South Wales has taken a grim turn, with reports of vandalism and harassment piling up as voters gear up for the May 2025 polls. Among the ugliest incidents: a truck in the battleground seat of Eden-Monaro, plastered with a Liberal Party ad slamming Labor’s vehicle emission policies, was found smeared with feces. The mess, slathered across door handles and the ad itself, left a volunteer for the Liberals reeling and prompted a swift call to the cops.
This wasn’t a one-off. New South Wales police have been scrambling, launching multiple probes over the past week into a string of election-related complaints—everything from vandalism to outright intimidation. In Eden-Monaro, where the truck incident went down on April 28, investigators are treating the poo-smearing as “intentional damage,” according to a police spokesperson. No arrests have been made, but the case is active, with officers combing for leads.
The Liberal campaign isn’t the only one feeling the heat. Across NSW, political parties have reported a spike in ugly tactics. Arson threats have surfaced, targeting campaign offices, while some diaspora communities claim they’ve been hit with harassment meant to scare them away from the polls. Details on those cases are sparse—police are keeping tight-lipped as investigations unfold—but the pattern is clear: tensions are boiling over as the election nears.
In Eden-Monaro, a rural seat that’s flipped between Labor and Liberal in recent years, the truck vandalism struck a nerve. The ad, a bold swipe at Labor’s green policies, was meant to rally voters, not spark a literal stink. The volunteer who found the defaced vehicle described the scene as “disgusting” and “a new low,” though police haven’t released their name for privacy reasons.
NSW authorities are on high alert, with election day looming. The Australian Electoral Commission, tasked with keeping the vote fair, has flagged the incidents as serious but hasn’t issued new security measures yet. Meanwhile, campaign teams are doubling down, urging volunteers to stay vigilant but keep pushing.
The facts are stark: a truck was vandalized with feces in Eden-Monaro on April 28. Police are investigating it as intentional damage. Other reports of election-related harassment and threats are under review across NSW. No suspects have been named, and the investigations are ongoing.