RESIDENTS complain about political signs and posters at every election, but with a record 94 candidates running for the Central Coast Council next month, complaints have skyrocketed.
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Central Coast Council administrator Ian Reynolds said political signs and posters were now earning the ire of residents daily.
“It is a difficult issue to deal with,” Mr Reynolds said.
He said that although the NSW Electoral Commission was running the council election on September 9, the council was responsible for managing the signage issue.
“We receive daily complaints about the the placement of election signs. If it’s brought to our attention, then we have to enforce the rules.”
Enforcing the rules then draws heat on the council from disgruntled candidates, and even counter allegations about signs placed by their political opponents.
Mr Reynolds said council was recently prompted to write to the council candidates to explain their rights and obligations regarding political signage.
“Given that some of the candidates are first timers, we wrote to the candidates [to explain the rules]” he said.
That letter to candidates gives an insight into some of the illegal locations that election posters are sometimes posted. The letter says, in part.-
“Election signage is not permitted on public land. Public land includes public roads (including footpaths, carriageways, median strips, traffic islands, roundabouts, street signs, traffic signs, utility poles, trees and other vegetation within public roads), public parks and public reserves.”
The letter advises that election signs may be placed on private property, with the permission of the landowner, provided that the signage meets a range of conditions.
Chief among them is that the signage is displayed “only during the period that commences five weeks prior to an election and concludes one week after than election”.
The area of the signage must not exceed 0.8 square metres, and signs must not be attached to a building that is heritge listed or a draft heritage item.
The signage must also meet any relevant requirements of the Commonwealth Electoral Act which include the requirement for the sign to include the name and address of the person who authorised the sign, and the name and place of business of the person who printed it.
The council letter warns that both the person who caused any unlawful sign to be placed, and the owner of any land on which the sign is placed, can be found guilty of an offence under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act of 1979.
Council has the authority to issue fines of $3000 for individuals, and $6000 for corporations, for such offences.