Parties say pamphlets a smear campaign

A smear leaflet detailing Labour's "uncaring legacy" in health and imploring voters to change the Government has been delivered to homes around the country.

Another leaflet - titled The Green Delusion and which called the Green Party "socially destructive" and dangerous - was dropped to homes over the weekend.

The Chief Electoral Officer has been called in to investigate the anti-Greens leaflets, which the party says breaches the Electoral Act.

Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said the pamphlets were a smear campaign by people who wanted to destroy the reputations of the Greens and Labour.

There has been speculation that the same group or person is behind the two leaflets.

While they were authorised by different people - the anti-Greens one by Stephen Win of Mangere and the anti-Labour one by J. Hawkins of Christchurch - they are graphically similar and both implore voters to use their party vote to change the Government.

The anti-Labour pamphlet says it has been distributed by the New Zealand Advocates for Timely Healthcare.

The Herald could find no record of such an organisation and was not able to contact J. Hawkins.

Greens campaign manager Russel Norman said the people behind the anti-Greens leaflets had spent about $100,000 printing and distributing them in an attempt to distort the democratic process.

Mr Norman said the leaflets breached the section of the Electoral Act that prohibited giving voters false information.

Labour president Mike Williams said the party was trying to track down who was behind the leaflets criticising Labour's record in health.

"It's telling you to vote National, so one assumes it is a National Party supporter behind it."

Mr Williams said dirty trick techniques usually backfired - as was seen at last year's local body elections when John Banks' campaign manager distributed copies of an article critical of Dick Hubbard.

National has denied any role in the pamphlets, saying it neither endorsed nor condoned them.

On Saturday, Ms Fitzsimons tried to confront the author of the pamphlet - Stephen Win - but a security guard stationed in Mr Win's driveway prevented her from entering.

When the Herald visited Mr Win's property yesterday, two guards denied access.

This year's electoral roll listed that he was self-employed and indicated he shared the house with family members.