TO/ The Victorian Electoral Commission,
Level 8,
505 Little Collins Street,
Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.
Tel. 13 18 32

Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to formally complain and seek your immediate investigation into a number of events that happened during the Frankston East by-election last year.
These are the following:-

• Offers by both major parties to print how-to-vote cards for persons standing as independents, including myself.
• An offer by someone from the Liberal side to pay me money to withdraw from the election as a candidate.
• Allegations and/or a perception that a number of people standing as independent candidates for the by-election were in fact stooges of the major parties whose role was to deliberately confuse the electorate, split the potential independent vote and direct preferences to a major party (Liberal or Labor).
• The broadcasting of false and defamatory allegations against myself by radio announcer Steve Price on radio 3AW during the early part of the Frankston East Campaign, including how and where he got hold of an incorrect "official" police record for myself.
• The invitation by 3AW to some candidates to participate in a debate with all other candidates in a live broadcast, when they had no intention of allowing such a debate to proceed and failed to invite myself to attend the broadcast.

I accept that for some of these matters you will may either be unable to make findings of fact and/or find the matter/s as being outside of your legal domain and jurisdiction including in terms of laws you administer.
However notwithstanding this, I ask that based on the recent media interest in the matter, I ask that you make findings as to what is or is not proper conduct in terms of the above matters, if not for my benefit, but for the benefit of future election candidates, the public at large and the media as a whole.
Furthermore if aspects of this letter fall outside your domain and/or jurisdiction, I ask that you forward this letter on as a formal complaint to the relevant and appropriate authorities.
For the record, I was led to believe that it is normal practice for the major parties to pay for how-to-vote cards of independents who sling preferences their way and likewise I didn't see it as exceptional that an offer was made to pay me to withdraw from the election race.
Following this letter is a copy of a media release sent earlier this week.
Further relevant material (re the matters raised in this letter) can also be found on my website at:
http://www.smuggled.com/Hoser1.htm
As I forwarded most of my Frankston East election material to the State Library after the election, I am unable to help you with much more information, with the exception of that relating to Steve Price and 3AW, for which I hold copies of all relevant tapes and transcripts.
Finally, I have no complaints at the VEC's own role during the by-election and wish to add that I found the VEC's staff very helpful at times when I sought their assistance's in my role as a candidate.

YOURS FAITHFULLY.

RAYMOND HOSER.

For further inquiries phone: (Within Australia) 0412 777 211
Or go to:
http://www.smuggled.com/FE1.htm
and http://www.raymondhoser.com
This release is published at:
http://www.smuggled.com/VEC2.htm