Churchgoers at Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Templestowe have raised concerns about the campaign tactics of Isabella Eltaha, a candidate for the Manningham council, after she distributed flyers despite being explicitly asked not to campaign during a Sunday service.
Eltaha attended the church as part of her election efforts, but the church president informed her that while she was welcome to participate, she “could not campaign during the liturgy or service.” This decision was made as the church sought to remain neutral, not aligning with any election candidates or political policies.
Despite these guidelines, a long-time church member, who requested anonymity, told The Herald Sun that Eltaha proceeded to hand out flyers.
“I recognised her face from the posters across the street and spoke to her,” he recalled. “She came across as very polite and charming and told me she was an Armenian Christian.”
However, many congregants felt taken aback by her actions, deeming them “inappropriate.”
One parishioner commented, “There are better ways to campaign than going to a church you have been asked not to campaign at. It’s not a good look campaigning at a church.”
Additionally, some members expressed doubts about Eltaha’s authenticity in her campaign, especially after learning of her affiliation with the Alliance of Australian Muslims (AAM).
According to Herald Sun, a senior parishioner said, “Our church is full of people of different ethnicities, and not everyone is Greek… I would not have a problem if she came to our church and was honest, but members are confused about whether she was being authentic.”
Source: Herald Sun.
