Several candidates vying for the vacant Denby seat on the Whangarei District Council have experienced billboard damage. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Denby byelection signs are being targeted by vandals with one candidate saying she is being targeted personally.
Whangarei District Council candidate Huhana Lyndon said nine of her billboards had been damaged or destroyed in just under two weeks, with four of those being damaged in Kamo on Sunday.
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She said eight were large billboards, which needed effort to take down because it took a team to put them up.
Ms Lyndon said she was the only woman who was visible and actively campaigning and at locations with other signs, hers was the only one targeted.
"My one was the only one taken down and all the men's ones were still up."
Ms Lyndon spoke out about the council's decision not to introduce Maori wards and she also wondered if that was the reason. Ms Lyndon has filed a complaint with police.
However fellow candidate Gavin Benney said five of his signs had been stolen and three smashed, including one that was spray painted. He was propping up several every day.
Mr Benney said a man had rung him to apologise for stealing his sign - explaining it was one of his tasks on his stag night.
"It just goes with the territory, you can't take it personally. You know when you put it up it's going to happen."
Chris Leitch said that within a day of putting his signs up one was chopped down with an axe. He reported it to police. Since then three signs have been destroyed. A fifth has been pushed over.
He felt most of the damage is just mindless vandalism.
"I think it's much more that kind of damage than anyone having any sort of issue with a particular candidates such."
Matt Keene said he had had one sign destroyed and about six knocked over. He said it was part and parcel of erecting election billboards. "We're fair game."
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