Act pokes fun under Labour's standard

The Act Party is running a website that ridicules Auckland Central MP Judith Tizard and other ministers under the Labour Party logo.

The website is designed to help voters compare party policies free of "reporters' bias" but gives an Act version of the parties' policies. Flyers being delivered in Auckland Central pointing to the website do not mention it is the work of Act.

The website has Judith Tizard explaining transport policy under the Labour Party logo: "I'm Minister for Auckland Issues. I've talked a lot, but achieved almost nothing ... gridlock in the Auckland region is fine by me. It helps drive up the values in inner-city suburbs." Judith Tizard lives in Ponsonby.

The website also takes potshots at Finance Minister Michael Cullen: "We just don't believe in tax cuts"; Police Minister George Hawkins: "I can't really defend Labour's management of the police"; and Green MP Keith Locke: "We can all live in a closed sustainable community, commuting on bikes, and smoking our favourite".

Judith Tizard, who holds Auckland Central with a majority of 5205 votes, said it was devious and dishonest of Act to misrepresent her on transport under the Labour Party logo, particularly when the party had released its transport policy in Auckland yesterday at the sod-turning ceremony for the State Highway 20 Mt Roskill extension.

She said the website showed the desperation of Act and was not worth fussing about.

Labour's Auckland regional co-ordinator Andrew Beyer said the website was cowardly and grubby to the point of misrepresenting Labour policies and candidates.

It had echoes of Brian Nicolle, the Act organiser who distributed copies of a National Business Review campaign against Dick Hubbard at last year's local body elections.

Mr Beyer said the party was looking at the legal position of the website under the Electoral Act.

"I'm surprised the Act Party isn't putting more energy into their own messaging rather than trying to caricature ours," he said.

An Act volunteer who prepared content for the website, David Chaston, said the policy positions of the other parties represented an Act viewpoint.

Mr Chaston said pitching policy and making comment about other parties' policies was part of any election fight for the hearts and minds of voters. Most of the policy comparisons were fairly straight but the website sent up other policies and had a right to criticise Judith Tizard's performance.

Mr Chaston rejected any suggestion the website misrepresented other parties' policies, saying it was presented in the blue and yellow colours of Act and every page, except the home page, had a reference to Act.

Act's Auckland Central candidate, 19-year-old political studies student Helen Simpson, said she was not involved with the preparation of the website but had been promoting it: "I think it's fair enough".

Act was forced this month to cover up parts of its billboards using the National Party's logo after the Chief Electoral Office said it had breached election campaign rules.

National complained about the billboards, which urged voters to give National their electorate vote but Act their party vote.

ACT ON:

Judith Tizard: "I'm Minister for Auckland Issues. I've talked a lot, but achieved almost nothing ... Gridlock in the Auckland region is fine by me. It helps drive up the values in inner-Auckland suburbs.'

Steve Maharey: "We have reduced the unemployment rolls by increasing jobs in the state sector, and raising the numbers on the sickness benefit and the DPB. That strategy may seem smarmy but it is consistent with our basic nature."

George Hawkins: "I can't really defend Labour's management of the police. So I won't."

Michael Cullen: "We just don't believe in tax cuts - it's against our fundamental philosophy - after all we are socialists and proud of it."