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| Friend of Bill Shorten charged with vandalism offences at polling station Friend of Bill Shorten charged with vandalism offences at polling station | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A close friend of the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has been charged over allegations of vandalism at a Melbourne polling booth on election day. | A close friend of the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has been charged over allegations of vandalism at a Melbourne polling booth on election day. |
| Andrew Landeryou, the husband of the Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, will face Melbourne magistrates court in February on five counts of theft and five counts of criminal damage. | Andrew Landeryou, the husband of the Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, will face Melbourne magistrates court in February on five counts of theft and five counts of criminal damage. |
| Two other men have also been charged over the incident – David Asmar faces the same 10 charges, as does Dean Sherriff who is also charged with assault. The men were all involved in the election campaign for the Melbourne Ports Labor MP, Michael Danby, in what is a marginal electorate. | Two other men have also been charged over the incident – David Asmar faces the same 10 charges, as does Dean Sherriff who is also charged with assault. The men were all involved in the election campaign for the Melbourne Ports Labor MP, Michael Danby, in what is a marginal electorate. |
| Landeryou notoriously fled the country in 2004 and was declared bankrupt after his return in 2006. The failed businessman is also a former political blogger, whose posts attracted controversy. | Landeryou notoriously fled the country in 2004 and was declared bankrupt after his return in 2006. The failed businessman is also a former political blogger, whose posts attracted controversy. |
| Shorten is a friend of both Landeryou and Kitching. In October, it was revealed that Shorten went against the advice of his colleagues by backing Kitching to replace Stephen Conroy in the Senate. The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, described her appointment as a “union stitch-up”. | Shorten is a friend of both Landeryou and Kitching. In October, it was revealed that Shorten went against the advice of his colleagues by backing Kitching to replace Stephen Conroy in the Senate. The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, described her appointment as a “union stitch-up”. |
| In 2014, the trade union royal commission made adverse findings about Kitching and referred her for possible prosecution. She was never charged. | In 2014, the trade union royal commission made adverse findings about Kitching and referred her for possible prosecution. She was never charged. |
| Asmar is a close political ally of Shorten’s who was implicated in a Victorian branch-stacking scandal. | Asmar is a close political ally of Shorten’s who was implicated in a Victorian branch-stacking scandal. |
| Sherriff has worked as an industrial officer with the embattled Health Workers Union. The union’s secretary is Asmar’s wife, Diana. | Sherriff has worked as an industrial officer with the embattled Health Workers Union. The union’s secretary is Asmar’s wife, Diana. |
| The men were arrested on 2 July, polling day, at 2.40am in St Kilda, with police seizing box cutters from the car the men were travelling in. At the time, Shorten said “anyone in an election who is conducting vandalism deserves to have the book thrown at them”. | The men were arrested on 2 July, polling day, at 2.40am in St Kilda, with police seizing box cutters from the car the men were travelling in. At the time, Shorten said “anyone in an election who is conducting vandalism deserves to have the book thrown at them”. |
| The men will appear before the court on 15 February. | The men will appear before the court on 15 February. |
| • Australian Associated Press contributed to this report | • Australian Associated Press contributed to this report |