A PASSING motorist tipped off police when he saw vandals defacing this poster on the New England Highway about 1am on Monday.
Armidale police acting inspector Chris McKinnon said the motorist noticed a number of people at the “Better off with Barnaby” sign, at Lambing Gully, caught red-handed in the act of vandalism.
The poster had apparently been installed at the request of the property owners, meaning the vandals were also trespassing.
It’s located about five kilometres north of Uralla.
The vandals pasted a photograph of mining magnate Gina Rinehart over one of Mr Joyce, pasting the words “Member of Rinehart” and “the ugly truth” across the poster.
A spokesman for Mr Joyce said more than 800 signs for Mr Joyce had now been vandalised or pulled down.
“People have no respect for local residents or the law,” the spokesman said.
