STATE Burleigh MP Michael Hart has been accused of throwing his political weight around and "schoolboy bully tactics" by trying to have a Gold Coast Labor candidate kicked out of the local markets on the weekend.
Federal ALP candidate for McPherson Gail Hislop said she was told by Burleigh Market management the LNP MP had demanded she be removed because he took offence to the political slogans on her corflutes.
Mr Hart admitted he asked the market management to get involved because the slogans were "lies" but said the decision to ask her to leave was the market manager's, not his.
The political argy-bargy comes as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has called the election for September 7.
Ms Hislop said she had manned a stall at the markets for the past few months and had never any trouble until Saturday.
"I believe it is up to the voters to decide and not have someone use standover tactics and try and gag a candidate," she said.
"We're a democratic society.
"It's almost like bullying in a school playground behaviour," Ms Hislop said
She said she was eventually allowed to stay but only if she moved away from Mr Hart's stall and took down the corflutes.
One was about hospital cuts and the other about education funding.
Mr Hart, who had a mobile office at the markets as did federal MP Karen Andrews, said the markets were no place for politicking.
"I highlighted it to them that these people were politicking, (the market organisers) made the rest of the decisions themselves," he said.
"They had nasty, nasty slogans saying (Queensland Premier) Campbell Newman was closing down hospitals which is an absolute lie.
"They're very childish comments."
Mr Hart said his presence at the markets was not political because it was part of his mobile office.
He said he could not recall if he ever attended markets during his previous election campaigns.
Former Labor Member for Burleigh Christine Smith, who was with Ms Hislop, said the incident was disappointing.
"I was pretty upset that Michael should try to move a stallholder, no matter what type of stallholder we are," she said.
Burleigh Markets manager Liana Baffari did not return calls to the Bulletin yesterday.
Caught by those who put up the posters , Fairfax journo and Liberal volunteer Monica O'Shea was photographed tearing them down in the electorate of Sturt.
Ms O'shea will not face police charges and has explained that she took down the posters of political opponent Rick Sarre because they were 'poorly put up'
Mr Pyne has defended Ms O'Shea, insisting she was actually helping out.
He says he is proud of her.
I don't see anything wrong with it, I have been pulling down Turnbull posters, shredding them and using them for packing material.
It's all about the environment and recycling.
