Anti-nuclear protesters have derailed Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s campaign event on the NSW south coast, forcing him to abandon the event.
The three men from South Coast Labour Council — the peak union council on the south coast — were dressed in hazmat suits and appeared on the field at St Georges Basin Dragons rugby league club, in Sanctuary Point.
They said: “This is the future of nuclear energy” and that they were searching for “the member for Fukushima”.
It prompted a heated exchange between the men and local sports club members, who described the protesters as “muppets”.
Shoalhaven City councillor Selena Clancy was captured by SBS News telling local children, who told media they’d come down to the oval on a pupil-free day, to shout out to the protesters: “Go away, we don’t want you here!”
When asked why she had done so, she told SBS News: “I thought the protest was distasteful.”
“The kids were being fed information that was not correct, and I basically just said: ‘Kids, Mr Dutton is here to help you and make an announcement, why don’t you tell the media that?'” Clancy said.
The interruption came just moments after local man Michael King also stumbled upon the media event, giving his endorsement to the Coalition in the seat of Gilmore — held by Labor on a super tight 0.2 per cent margin — or 373 votes.
King told the media he’d voted for Labor’s candidate Fiona Phillips in the 2022 election, but would now be voting for Liberal candidate Andrew Constance.
“What do you think about Anthony Albanese?” Dutton asked him.
“Oh, I’d drop him a shoulder,” King replied to laughter.
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