Townsville mayoral candidate Joanne Keune has defended her decision to recruit a lost international tourist to help campaign for her in exchange for a ride back to his cruise ship. The incident occurred on Tuesday at a busy city intersection, where the man approached Ms Keune using a translation app to ask for directions.
Ms Keune said she offered the tourist a campaign sign to wave for an hour in return for a lift to his cruise boat. In a now-deleted Facebook post, she described the interaction as heartwarming, stating the man enjoyed waving the sign. The post included videos and photos of the tourist and drew criticism from some who called the move exploitative.
Fellow candidate David Kippin expressed disapproval, saying Ms Keune took advantage of someone who had no understanding of the campaign. Acting mayor and candidate Ann-Maree Greaney called the action inappropriate and lacking suitable judgment. However, candidate Nick Dametto declined to comment, focusing on his own campaign.
Ms Keune, a business owner and former council employee, dismissed the criticism, stating that those who were not present should not judge. The by-election, triggered by the resignation of former mayor Troy Thompson amid a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation, will see votes counted from Saturday.
