THE electoral commission has had to step in and resolve a soft-serve biffo in the Beaconsfield by-election.

On Father’s Day candidate Andrew Luobikis was spotted handing out free ice creams from a Mr Whippee van adorned with election banners and was dobbed in to the AEC.

But after investigating, Adrian MacDonald says Mr Luobikis’s actions were “unconventional” but within the rules.

“Candidates hosting sausage sizzles and the like are common in the run up to elections,” Mr MacDonald says.

“I understand that most of the ice creams were handed-out to children, anyway.”

Mr Luobikis says he noticed someone in the bushes taking photos of him.

• Andrew Luobikis and his “Mr Whippee” van. Photo supplied

“Not sure why someone has decided to attack a community initiative like this,” he says.

“One would think this is no different to when the mayor was running his campaign and hired Kings Square with a tent, jazz band, fridge, sofas, and skateboarders.

“I needed to continue my campaign but it was Father’s Day. Being a dad myself I thought I would do something a little different and have people come to me rather than being intrusive.”

Mr MacDonald says 10 days out from the September 16 postal election, return rates are unusually high at almost 30 per cent.

Mr Luobikis says he’s getting a lot of feedback from people fuming at Fremantle council for cancelling the Australia Day fireworks.

Fedele J Camarda, Peter Cruickshank and Hannah Fitzhardinge are also contesting the Beaconsfield by-election.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK