Joh Bauch said he has been the subject of bullying during this year’s council elections.
By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM’S council elections have descended into vicious attacks and bullying with one candidate being forced to make a report to police.
Joh Bauch, who is running for election in the Harrison Ward, told Star he had started to fear for his life after he received threatening text messages and someone trespassed on his family’s property.
Mr Bauch said at first he noticed has campaign posters were being damaged but as his campaign for election continued the attacks started to become more sinister.
About three weeks ago he received a text message, seen by Star, from someone wishing that his “entire family dies of ****** cancer”.
To make matters worse, Mr Bauch’s 83-year-old father is suffering from prostate cancer.
The Liberal Party member said items had also been stolen from his home where he lives with his elderly parents and he had reported the incidents to police.
“You do get scared and you have to watch your back,” Mr Bauch said.
“I am worried about my safety. They can do whatever they want to me, but leave my family out of it.
“I hear sounds when I’m walking and you do have to watch your back because you don’t know how crazy they are.
“You actually fear for your life just for being a candidate.”
Mr Bauch, who stood as a candidate for the Liberal Party in Niddrie during the last Victorian election, said he was surprised by how cruel the Wyndham Council elections had become.
“I’ve done Niddrie and it never got anything close to this. There was nothing of this nature,” he said.
“No one is concentrating on policies, they’re digging into personal lives.
“It’s bullying, that’s what it is.”
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed that they had received a complaint from Mr Bauch and were investigating the incidents.
Several other incumbent councillors told Star that they had never witnessed such a ruthless election and that they regretted running for re-election.
Election results are expected to be known late Sunday night.
