NSW Liberals staffer pleads not guilty

The election campaign manager for a NSW MP will fight allegations he breached electoral laws by distributing pamphlets that smeared a Labor candidate.

NSW MP Glenn Brookes' election campaign manager Jim Daniel will fight allegations he breached electoral laws by distributing pamphlets that smeared a Labor candidate.

Daniel, 30, did not appear at a first mention of his case in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, but lawyer Justin Wong told the registrar he had been instructed to enter not guilty pleas to two court attendance notices served on Daniel.

It is alleged that 11 days before the 2015 NSW election, Daniel, a Bankstown councillor, letterbox-dropped pamphlets in western Sydney's East Hills electorate smearing Mr Brookes' Labor rival Cameron Murphy.

The pamphlets allegedly contained Mr Murphy's photograph and a series of quotes attributed to him, with the words "stranger danger" and "do you want such views representing you in Parliament?".

The pamphlets also claimed Mr Murphy supported the rights of paedophiles and saw nothing wrong with photography of a naked minor, and said, "If a convicted rapist lived next door to you, would you want to know? Cameron Murphy doesn't want you to".

According to the allegations, which are contained in court documents, Daniel distributed the pamphlets between 10pm and 10.25pm along one street in Milperra on March 17, 2015.

The pamphlets allegedly breached electoral laws by not advertising the name and address of the printer, and allegedly contained matter that was capable of affecting the result of the East Hills election.

Mr Brookes narrowly beat Mr Murphy at the March 28, 2015 election.

Mr Brookes has since stood aside from the Liberal Party and his parliamentary committee roles, and in March said he was shocked and horrified by the allegations.


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Source: AAP



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