Ad plan brings double trouble

By Audrey Young

Labour leader Helen Clark yesterday accused National of a "dirty tricks campaign" over approaches to a Clark impersonator for a political advertisement.

But despite threatening an official complaint, she might have difficulty proving a breach of conduct if National runs a Clark lookalike in an ad.

Actor Lorae Parry is reported as saying that she turned down an offer to appear.

National's campaign manager, Jeff Grant, said no one should get excited.

He said National's ads would comply with the broadcasting code.

Helen Clark said she would complain to the Broadcasting Standards Auth-ority.

The authority does not normally hear advertising cases but is required to hear cases involving radio and television political advertising, all state-paid.

The executive director of the Advertising Standards Complaints Board, Glen Wiggs, said using an impersonator was not a breach of standards in itself.

If the advertisement were clearly a spoof and not intended to mislead, it would be acceptable.