12:00a.m. 7th March 2008

| Alan Lander and Mike Garry

A fake two-page flyer purported to be from mayoral candidate Bob Abbot has been discovered in letterboxes in the Coolum area.

A resident contacted the Daily at lunchtime yesterday after checking his mailbox and finding the offending literature.

Typed on two pages of plain folded A4 paper, the flyer lists questions and answers supposedly from Mr Abbot, with both pages carrying his official campaign logo “Big Bob for the Big Job”, with the photo-cartoon of Mr Abbot.

The first page begins with some “soft” questions and reasonable answers, but as the reader progresses, both questions and answers become more libellous. and defamatory.

Below a second use of the logo at the bottom of the second page, a line in small print reads “Authorised by the NLA”.

The flyer bears similarities in style and intent to one which was circulated to the electorate of Lindsay in Sydney during the dying days of the federal election last November.

In one section headed “What were your greatest achievements for Noosa in your time as mayor?” it read “I am proud to say that I presided over a council that was content to whittle away at the town plan. That was why Vivienne Griffin chose to resign – which was a very proud moment for me. Now, of course, we are best friends again, because we both need votes”.

Under another heading asking “What is your relationship to the state government?” it read “ ... On June 13th last year I spent a lovely day with Premier Peter Beattie attending the state of origin match. I don’t remember much ... because Peter and I were too busy chatting”. Of course the LGRC was assessing whether to amalgamate Noosa at the time, so we had a lot to talk about”.

Mr Abbot, on hearing of the illegal flyer, warned he would take legal action against the offender.

“We have not done any letterboxing of that nature,” Mr Abbot said.

“Anyone plagiarising my logo illegally is going to find themselves in serious trouble.”

Mr Abbot said it sounded like someone associated with his opposition was behind it, or someone campaigning against local division nine candidate and former Noosa councillor Vivien Griffin.

Ms Griffin is mentioned in the flyer.

Neither Mr Abbot nor Ms Griffin knew who or what the NLA was.

The material has been forwarded to the Electoral Commission of Queensland, and Queensland Police, according to Mr Abbot’s campaign office.

For our election coverage and candidates nominating for council, visit our election '08 page.