Federal election 2025: Nationals Durack candidate Bailey Kempton ‘disappointed’ over alleged signage removal

The Nationals candidate in Durack says he’s disappointed his signs were allegedly removed on the eve of the election. Bailey Kempton said he was putting up signage at polling booths around Geraldton at about midnight before arriving at Rangeway Primary School where he noticed his and the Liberals signs had been pulled off fences. “My signs, Nationals signs, and Melissa Price Liberal signs pulled out, stakes in garden beds that had all been pulled out and thrown in piles in the bushes.” Photos obtained by The West Australian depict signage which had been stacked in a pile at various polling locations across Geraldton. Mr Kempton said it was disappointing to see, given much of the work to put up the signs was done by volunteers. “We work really hard to get volunteers on board, people stay out late and leave their kids at home, they give us a significant amount of their time in the middle of the night to go out and assist us,” he said. “When you think you’ve achieved that, you’re trying to wrap it up in the early hours of the morning and you realise that a big portion of your work has been undone, it’s very disappointing to be honest.” Liberal MP Melissa Price said she had been made aware of the incident. “This sort of thing happens in other electorates, however, we don’t expect it to happen in Durack,” she said. Durack is the largest electorate in the country, covering more than 1.4 million square kilometres. Ms Price is the incumbent, and is eyeing off a fifth term as the member. The Labor Party and Durack candidate Karen Wheatland has been contacted for comment.