By CASEY NEILL
A GREATER Dandenong chicken shop is at the centre of a last-minute Federal Election storm.
Police earlier this week investigated allegations that three firefighters threatened to tear down a sign supporting the CFA at a Dandenong poultry business.
But the chicken shop owner said the firefighters had been “very friendly”.
A banner with the words “Save the CFA – put Labor last” is hanging on the Victor’s Wholesale Meats building on Princes Highway.
Three men in fire station uniform allegedly demanded the business owner take it down on the afternoon of Monday 27 June.
Victor’s owner Kim Le told the Journal that she directed the firemen to neighbouring garage Maz Motors on Adelaide Street.
“They asked me ‘who put this sign on?’. I said ‘the lady named Helen’,” she said, referring to Bruce Liberal candidate Helen Kroger.
“My neighbour, he came here and he asked before Helen came.
“After that he and Helen came to my office and asked me again. I said ‘okay’.
“Monday the fire brigade people came and asked me ‘who put this sign?’ and they were very friendly.
“We talked about the weather, we talked about anything.
“The people from the fire brigade were very nice people.”
Ms Le said the police attended the premises on Wednesday and asked her a few questions.
“I don’t know why the police came,” she said.
Maz Motors declined a request from the Journal for comment.
A spokesman for Ms Kroger confirmed that she had used campaign funds to pay for the sign and organised the installation, and that the Family First Party authorised the sign.
Greater Dandenong Inspector Sean Murray told the Journal on Wednesday that police were “investigating to see if any offences occurred”.
Dandenong Fire Station officer-in-charge Paul Carrigg confirmed that Victoria Police had finished its investigation and would not be taking the matter further.
“There will be an internal investigation conducted to find out whether the members involved have breached any CFA offences,” he said.
