The Election Campaign
It took me days to recover from the sheer nastiness of the 1st Mercury article, the lies, the twisting of facts, the false accusations of guilt, the portrayal of XX as a decent truthful person, ignoring the Magistrate's words, XX's history of harassing and bullying.
When the 8 members of the 'teal' group met at Kelly's Steps in Salamanca with a Mercury reporter and photographer early in the election campaign, it was noticable to me how the reporter talked to most members of the group but avoided me. This is something you feel but can't prove. In hindsight, I believe the campaign against me with the Mercury had already started; weeks before the article was printed.
I ran an election ad locally. The manager, and at least one other, were subjected to a torrent of calls to have the ad removed. They stood firm and I appreciate that.
A couple of days after the nominations closed, I was approached by a stranger who urged me, for about 20 minutes, to withdraw my nomination. He gave no name and wouldn't say why I should withdraw. A strange event.
It is my belief, and I can't prove it, that Kenji Sato was subjected to the same calls and that he twisted the facts to find me guilty of something I didn't do. The Magistrate had said so, and Mr Sato had looked at the issue 6 months before and done nothing. A truly awful piece of reporting.
Clearly, some people did not want me on Council.