A One Nation sign depicts alleged war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith outside a polling booth ahead of the Farrer by-election in Albury, NSW in Australia on May 8, 2026. Jesse Thompson/Getty Images
An alleged assault that left a One Nation supporter bloodied and bruised is not being treated as politically motivated.
The 60-year-old man suffered multiple facial fractures and bleeding on the brain after the alleged attack outside his home in the Victorian town of Torquay on Nov. 1 night.
Details of the incident emerged as the Victorian Parliament dissolved on Nov. 3, officially beginning the election period and prompting calls to curb political violence.
The next day, police confirmed the incident was not being treated as politically motivated.
The man had confronted two people who were allegedly damaging One Nation signs on his property, the party reported on Nov. 3.
He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, with his work vehicle also allegedly badly damaged in the attack.
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A 14-year-old boy and 37-year-old man from Melbourne’s southeast were arrested over the alleged incident, with police alleging the man was assaulted with a blunt weapon.
The Hampton Park man was charged with intentionally causing injury and other assault-related offences.
He appeared at Geelong Magistrates’ Court where he was remanded to appear again on Nov .10.
The 14-year-old boy was issued with a caution.
An image was shared online by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson which shows the man’s badly bruised, swollen and still-bleeding face.
“He heard some ruckus on the property and then he went to investigate and apparently they were destroying the signs,” Senator Hanson said.
“He asked them … ‘What are you doing?’”
“And they actually ran for him and then viciously attacked him.”
It comes as the community and public service union issued a scathing warning on Nov. 4, vowing it would not support Labor at the upcoming state election.
The union said it could no longer in good faith support a government that cuts public service jobs while spending $1.2 billion on consultants, citing figures based on Victorian government annual reports.
“This union has always promised to give frank and fearless advice to any body in government, and that includes the Australian Labor Party,” secretary Jiselle Hanna told AAP.
“We cannot in good conscience support Labor, while it is saying it will not put a stop to the job cuts.”
By Allanah Sciberras and Eleanor Wilson in Melbourne.
