Today's local papers are carrying a story that the Ryde City Council, which covers most of the Bennelong electorate, is upset at Andrew Wilkie's signs and plans to take them down. Now while his signs were put up early, under State Environmental Planning Policy No 60, temporary signs 'for' a 'political .. event' do not require council approval if they are displayed no more than 28 days before the event, so if the council touches such signs after Friday, it will be they who will be breaking the law.

I have spoken to the Mayor, and he tells me that they interpret 'for... a political... event' to mean it has to advertise the event. They are on very shaky ground here, since 'for' is a term of wide import that can import anything relating to the event, and the constitutional right to freedom of political speech would weigh in favour of a wide interpretation.

Nevertheless, the Mayor has said he will be instructing his people to take them down and if we want to sue them we can, but 'it won't do you any good because the election will be over.'

Of course the two major parties have come out saying they will only be putting their signs on private property, but that of course favours the major parties who have many years worth of established support bases. Funny that they would oppose something that helps put other candidates on an even footing.

So, in order to avoid bands of marauding council workers committing larceny, we need people in the area who are willing to put the signs up on their own property. Can we appeal to the NHJ readership for assistance?