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Gladys Liu election signage challenge heads to High Court

The High Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, will on Wednesday provide directions in challenges to the election of Gladys Liu and Josh Frydenberg.

Gladys Liu on the campaign trail.

Source: AAP

Challenges to the election of embattled Liberal MP Gladys Liu and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are set to go to the High Court.

The court, sitting on Wednesday as the Court of Disputed Returns, is expected to make directions for how the cases will progress to a final hearing.

Ms Liu and Mr Frydenberg, who hold federal seats in Victoria, are being challenged over alleged illegal conduct.

The Liberals authorised controversial signs displayed at Kooyong and Chisholm polling booths on election day this year.

They were in the Australian Electoral Commission's official colours of purple and white, they had no Liberal branding, did not refer to the Liberal candidates or policies, and they were in Chinese.

The translation of the words was: "The right way to vote: On the green ballot paper fill in 1 next to the candidate of Liberal Party and fill in the numbers from smallest to largest in the rest of the boxes".

The signs on election day.
The signs on election day. Source: Luke Hilakari

The commission has previously said it would not take action because the signs were authorised by the party, and there were no rules around colour schemes.

Oliver Yates, one of the former candidates taking the matter to court, says he hopes the case brings some "much-needed" certainty on what conduct is legally acceptable by parties and candidates at elections.

The second person taking the matter to court is retired social worker and climate campaigner Leslie Hall.


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