Nationals candidate Dugald Saunders ordered to remove non-compliant election billboard in Dubbo

A spokesperson for the NSW Nationals told the Daily Liberal the party will comply with an order from the Dubbo Regional Council to remove the large 'Just Vote 1 Dugald Saunders' sign on Cobra Street after it was determined to be not compliant with State Environmental Planning Policy.

The poster will be removed within two weeks of the order being served by council, however, this could come days after polling day on March 25.

The Dubbo Regional Council first reached out to the office of member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders on March 6th to advise him the signage was not compliant.

A spokesperson for council explains that for temporary electoral signs in urban areas to be exempt from the need for a development application they have to be smaller than 0.8 metres squared.

"The sign in question would appear to breach this," the spokesperson said.

"Council has legislative requirements to follow in such matters and is following those requirements."

A staff member from Mr Saunders office replied to council on March 14 seeking clarification about the rule as the building - which used to hold a Fantastic Furniture store - had been leased by the Nationals as a campaign office for Mr Saunders.

Council responded saying the leasing of the building did not negate the issues of the size of the sign.

The council spokesperson said, as of Monday, there has been no further correspondence from any of the parties involved about the signage and, on March 16, council issued the owner of the site a 'Notice of Intention to Serve a Development Control order' which was also emailed to Mr Saunders office on the same day.

"A Notice of Intention to Serve a Development Control Order has now been issued. Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Council can issue Orders for unauthorised signage to be removed," the spokesperson said.

Questioned about the sign, Mr Saunders told the ABC its placement was out of his hands and was done by the Nationals head office with no involvement from him.

"As the candidate I've been removed from that, and if that's caused any angst for people I apologise but that's my campaign office," he told the ABC.

But electoral opponent Josh Black - running for the seat of Dubbo for the Labor party - said Mr Saunders' excuse would "not pass the pub test" with the community.

"He's a cabinet minister, he knows what the rules are. Dugald's trying to blame head office shirking any form of responsibility - how can he have the position that he has and expect to be the local member in that position while saying he's not responsible," he said.

"He's got his name, image and likeness up on these signs which clearly do not comply with the law and he's just trying to deny any responsibility at all."

He said candidates had been contacted by the Dubbo Regional Council and the Midwestern Regional Council ahead of the election about rules surrounding electoral posters.

"The rules are pretty clear, very clear," he said.

This isn't the first time Mr Saunders has faced controversy for his campaign materials. In the lead up to the 2019 state election, Mr Saunders faced backlash for a letter which was sent out by his campaign team referring to his electoral opponents as "miscreants".

Dugald Saunders has been contacted for comment.

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