The PR man who helped OHL Hawkins win its construction bid for the Ruataniwha dam has been slammed after he tried to drum up support for a pro-dam rally this week.
Transparent Hawke's Bay chairwoman Pauline Elliott said Attn! Marketing PR director Damon Harvey included the society in a group email asking for community support for the "Don't Damn Our Dam Rally for Ruataniwha" in Waipukurau tomorrow.
Ms Elliott said Attn! Marketing PR was the PR firm behind OHL Hawkins, the organisation responsible for building the dam.
But Mr Harvey said although Attn! Marketing PR had provided support for OHL Hawkins in the lead-up to its construction bid for the dam project last year, OHL Hawkins was no longer a client.
In his email, sent on Tuesday and later forwarded to Hawke's Bay Today, Mr Harvey described the rally as "by the people for the people", which was disingenuous, Ms Elliott said, considering the rally was a "highly orchestrated" and "highly moneyed" campaign.