THE battle over the knife-edge seat of Redlands has turned nasty, with a woman complaining to police on Friday night that she was man handled by federal LNP MP Andrew Laming.
Labor Party Redlands electorate booth worker Jane Cartwright said she made a complaint about the incident which occurred at Bay View State School, Thornlands.
She said she went to a doctor who diagnosed minor bruising.
“The thing is, you don’t do that to a woman,” she said.
Mr Laming, who was distributing how-to-vote cards for LNP candidate Matt McEachan at the Victoria Point Primary School booth today, said he was rolling heavy wrap along the ground in front of a fence when he was charged from behind.
“A woman dropped her knees into my head and shoulder,” he said.”I’ve fallen to the ground holding the chicken wire fence with both hands and she has been screaming ‘assault, assault, I’m being assaulted. Someone take a photograph’.”
Mr Laming said he had a witness and had asked that they corroborate his version of events.
Last night he posted on Facebook “Jane Cartwright sorry to hurt you so bad.”
Mr Laming said the comment was related to a separate social media debate and was not related to the Bay View incident.
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman confirmed a complaint of common assault had been lodged with Cleveland police.
Redlands independent candidate Peter Dowling – a former LNP MP – said he too had a minor physical confrontation with Mr Laming as the pair jousted over where election material was hung outside the school.
“I’m not a doctor but it seems the pressure has got to him,” Mr Dowling said.
It followed complaints earlier in the day about a how-to-vote card being handed out which was printed in the same orange as One Nation livery.
On the other side it was LNP blue, with different voting instructions.
Mr Dowling said the cards were organised by the LNP and were aimed at confusing One Nation voters so preferences would be directed to Mr McEachan.
This was despite One Nation saying they would preference sitting MPs last.
The walk into Victoria Point school was something of a gauntlet for voters, with campaign material being thrust in all directions by party supporters.
In the background the first test at the Gabba was playing as a coffee van did a good trade.
