A Liberal Party campaign truck has crashed into an early voting centre in western Sydney, causing significant damage and forcing voting at the centre to be delayed for several days.
The truck was wrapped in campaign material advertising Liberal candidate for Greenway Rattan Virk when it smashed into a portico at Quakers Hill Community Centre yesterday.
Video footage shows a man hastily removing Virk’s signage from the truck following the accident.
A spokesperson for the NSW Liberal Party apologised following the crash in a statement shared with 9news.com.au, but didn’t address the footage of the man removing the party’s signage from the truck.
“Yesterday, a truck delivering materials to Quakers Hill Community Hall dislodged a portico,” the spokesperson said.
“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused for the local community.
“The local campaign proactively contacted the appropriate authorities and fully cooperated, following instructions when they arrived to assist at the hall.”
Virk is challenging the seat of Greenway, where the damaged voting booth is located, this federal election.
It is currently held by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland on a margin of just under 8 per cent.
The centre was closed for voting on Tuesday as workers tried to remove the truck from the collapsed roof.
“The Quakers Hill Pre-Poll Voting Centre will not open today as a result of damage to the building,” the Australian Electoral Commission said in a statement.
“The AEC is assessing the damage to this facility and will make a decision about whether the facility can be used or will need to be relocated in coming days.”
Early voting officially began today, April 22, ahead of the May 3 election.
