A One Nation volunteer has been hospitalised with serious injuries, including bleeding on the brain, after allegedly being assaulted at his Victorian home.
The alleged assault took place at the man’s home in Torquay, near Geelong, on Sunday night after two people allegedly damaged One Nation signs on display.
The man suffered serious injuries in the alleged attack. GoFundMe
Police said they were called to a home on Scorpio Street about 7.45pm after a man, 60, was allegedly assaulted with a baseball bat.
The man was taken to Geelong Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
He is currently in a stable condition.
Police said a 37-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy were taken into custody.
The man was charged with intentionally causing injury and other assault-related offences, and directly presented at Geelong Magistrates Court.
He was remanded to appear at court again on November 10.
The boy was issued with a caution.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson visited the inured man and his family in hospital on Tuesday morning, and was visibly emotional as she described the man’s current condition.
Pauline Hanson was visibly emotional as she condemned the attack. 9News
“He’s got bleeding on the brain, apparently it’s going deeper, it’s being monitored,” Hanson told media.
“He’s badly bruised, you couldn’t even recognise the man. His swelling is starting to go down. He had bleeding from basically every orifice from his face.”
Hanson on social media shared a link to a crowdfunding page set up to assist the family, which showed a photo of the man and his injuries.
The image shows the man has significant bruising, as well as cuts and traces of blood to his face.
She condemned the alleged attack and said it had personally impacted her, calling on all involved in Victorian politics to call out acts of violence and to clamp down on crime.
“It’s very distressing, I find it very distressing now… I’m very emotional about this because I respect people who support me,” she said.
“I’m crying out now for something to be done.
“Whether it is Ben Carroll gets back in as premier, whether it’s Jess Wilson or whether it’s One Nation, we actually have some say in this state, all of us have to be doing better than what is happening in this state when it comes to crime.
“Those people that actually come into the state, if you’re a non-Australian citizen, you must abide by the rules here, and if you are not the right person for here, then get them out of the country ASAP.”
In a statement to the Australian Financial Review, Premier Ben Carroll condemned the alleged attack.
“Whether you’re wearing a red, blue, an orange or a green T-shirt, they are volunteers, they are doing what they believe is right, and no one should be coming under attack,” he said.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson called the alleged attack “appalling”.
“My thoughts are with the victim and his family, and I wish him a full and speedy recovery,” she said in a statement.
“Every Victorian has the right to express their political views and support the party of their choice without fear of violence or intimidation.
“We can disagree strongly about politics, but violence is never the answer.”
Hanson said the man was self-employed and had a wife and children, and claimed that the alleged attackers destroyed his car as he lay unconscious.
It is not the first time a One Nation supporter has allegedly been assaulted. Supplied
One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering condemned any acts of violence ahead of the Victorian election later this month. The Australian Financial Review
One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering condemned the alleged attack, saying any form of political violence was “un-Australian”.
“Political violence or intimidation of any kind against anyone is unacceptable in this country,” he said in a statement.
“If you don’t like someone’s politics, you vote accordingly. You don’t assault them.
“Our thoughts are with our volunteer and his family, we’re informed he has serious injuries.
“This [alleged] attack is un-Australian and unacceptable.”
Pickering said a pub in Ballarat had also recently been vandalised after displaying One Nation signs, and he insisted political violence could not shroud the upcoming election.
“I understand this is a critical election without recent precedents, I understand many Victorians are frustrated, I understand the ‘temperature’ of debate is high,” he said.
“None of this is an excuse for violence.
“We don’t have to accept the erosion of the middle ground for respectful debate or peaceful disagreement. We must build that ground up and give it unassailable foundations.”
It is not the first time this year a One Nation volunteer has allegedly been assaulted.
In August, a party staffer was hospitalised with a broken rib after allegedly being attacked at Brisbane’s Ekka festival while wearing party clothing.
The Victorian election is being pitted as a three-way contest between Labor, the Coalition and One Nation.
Victorians go to the polls on Saturday, November 28.