Greg Mirabella (back facing camera) with Liberal Party Benalla branch President, Schnieder at pre-polling in Benalla. Photo: @jansant
The husband of #Indivotes Liberal Party candidate Sophie Mirabella has been involved in an incident at Wangaratta pre-polling with a local Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer from the local integrated fire station.
No Fibs has been told a third person stepped inbetween the pair to stop Mr Mirabella advancing towards the volunteer.
Both people involved in the incident allege Mr Mirabella said as he left:
“You’re a fucking idiot”
Mr Mirabella is the President of the local Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF). The incident involved the vice president of the local VFF and ALP member George Dimopoulos, and local volunteer firefighter and ALP member Lauren McCully.
McCully told No Fibs:
He’s a lot taller and bigger than I am and when you’ve got someone coming at you it’s quite a moment of oh my god what if, because he had this look in his eyes, I haven’t seen this side of him before.
Dimopoulos told No Fibs he felt compelled to step in between the two because he thought Mr Mirabella “was about to go Lauren”.
Prior to the incident at around 11am, JaclynSymes MLC (Vic) was giving a door stop interview with local TV at the pre-polling centre..
@JaclynSymes and myself at prepol #wangaratta #inditalks #indivotes pic.twitter.com/MPBefHa53o
— George Dimopoulos (@g_dimvp) June 30, 2016
No Fibs has been told Mr Mirabella approached the crew requesting an interview about the CFA dispute.
McCully said she was upset by the way Mirabella denigrated career firefighters, so she confronted him.
Two weeks ago career and volunteer firefigjhters at Wangaratta’s integrated fire station publicly declared their unity.
Sophie Mirabella’s campaign team have been contacted for comment, at time of publishing they had not responded.
More to come.
