National Front logo ticked

The Electoral Commission has registered the National Front's logo despite 28 complaints.

Electoral Commission chief executive Dr Helena Catt said the party's application was in order and the proposed logo met legal requirements.

Commissioners considered 28 objections, 11 of which were the same petition with a total of 127 signatures.

Dr Catt said concerns included the cross-like element of the logo, its perceived associations with Christian, Nazi or military imagery, and an alleged offensiveness that resulted.

The logo included black letters NF with a lighter edge on either side of a stylised black cross against a light background.

"Cross-like imagery is widespread and used in many contexts, so we could not accept objectors' arguments," Dr Catt said.

"Many of the objections were explicitly related to opinions of the applicant party's policies or beliefs, however these matters are outside the scope of what the law requires the commission to both consider and confine itself to."

Registration of a logo allows it to appear on ballot papers alongside the party's name in the case of a registered party, and alongside the names of electorate candidates. The party is not yet registered.

- NZPA