Political ad puts community paper on the spot

A primary school librarian admits she knew little about the National Front when the community newspaper she helps to publish agreed to print the party's advertising.

Readers soon made the volunteer editorial crew aware.

But now the controversial political party has threatened to take the Roundabout newspaper to the Human Rights Commission if it does not keep running its advertisements.

Last month, the Roundabout, which puts 1820 copies in homes and shops in the Laingholm-western Titirangi area, ran a half-page advertisement from the National Front.

Featuring the party's controversial Celtic Cross logo, the advertisement calls for the end of the "Labour/National Tweedledum/Tweedledee Government".

Soon after, 18 readers complained they were offended by the advertisement of the party, which says it stands for "equal rights for Kiwi whites".

The paper's co-ordinator, librarian Audrey White, said yesterday that she and fellow volunteers were shocked at the angry reaction from unknown people. "They made our lives pretty unpleasant. We've been doing the paper for 27 years - it's the first time we've been in trouble. I didn't know much about the National Front."

The stress on the editorial crew increased when the party asked to put in another advertisement in the June issue, due out last Thursday.

"With the reaction we've had we said we were not happy about putting it in," said Ms White.

Refusal brought a threat from National Front director Sid Wilson to complain to the Human Rights Commission of "an act of unlawful discrimination".

Mr Wilson said last night that the party had limited resources and a $70 advertisement in Roundabout was chosen as a localised campaign to "establish a bit of a bridgehead" of support in the Waitakeres.

He saw no reason the National Front should be treated differently from the other political parties using the Roundabout, including the local MP, Communications Minister David Cunliffe.

The second advertisement was refused without explanation, Mr Wilson said, and he had asked the paper's committee to explain in writing.

A spokesman for the commission said a disputes resolution process was available to complainants.