Commission wades through election complaints

The Green Party member behind an attack on National Party billboards was referred to police for not using a valid promoter statement. Photo / supplied

The Electoral Commission is still making its way through complaints lodged during the election period.

In 2008, the former Chief Electoral Office referred 73 breaches of the Electoral Act relating to the election to police.

At least five complaints have been referred to police this year, but the Electoral Commission said it would be some time before the total number was known. Complaints were still coming in, and it was still working its way through the inquiries received in the lead up to the election, and on election day.

Among the complaints police are already investigating is an anonymous poster targeting Labour candidate Carol Beaumont.

The mock Labour Party poster, which was put up at an Onehunga bus shelter on November 16, featured an image of a knife and fork next to a foetus, and the words "Carol Beaumont supports eating foetuses".

It was referred to police because it did not have a valid promoter statement, which all election advertisements are required to have.

Jolyon White, the Green Party member who resigned after being found to be behind an attack on National Party billboards, was also referred to police for not using a valid promoter statement.

Mr White organised for stickers with slogans such as "The rich deserve more" and"Drill it, mine it, sell it" to be stuck on to hundreds of National's billboards.