Raj Kumar at the vandalised sign. Photo / Andrew Warner
Felix Desmarais, Local Democracy Reporter
A Rotorua mayoral candidate's election sign has been defaced - literally.
The vandalism has triggered an accusation of "racism".
However, the candidate, Raj Kumar, says he is not sure if it is racism, and believes the sign could now be a new visitor attraction for the beleaguered tourist town.
The sign, near Springfield Golf Club, was likely vandalised on Saturday last week.
The sign includes the faces of fellow ticket candidates Conan O'Brien and Don Paterson, with Kumar's face carefully cut out, while O'Brien and Paterson's were left untouched. Kumar is Fijian Indian.
Paterson said the vandalism felt "threatening".
"Why didn't they just destroy the whole billboard?
"It's a deliberate [act], carefully cut out.
"What else would it be? Either a personal hatred... or it's racism.
"Targeting Raj just because of the colour of his skin is not on."
Paterson believed it was further evidenced by vandalism on other signs elsewhere.
"It's par for the course really [...] but it isn't right that they've just singled Raj out.
"Racism is alive and well in Rotorua."
Paterson said the group hadn't received the bill for hoardings yet, but believed the cost of the sign was about $100.
Kumar believed young people or people "pranking" could be to blame.
"I don't think it's racist. It comes back to respect - these people have no respect."
Kumar said he would put his face through it and promote it - jokingly - as a tourist attraction, akin to face-hole cut-out boards at fun fairs.
"Come and take a photo."
In 2019, councillor candidate Fisher Wang was subjected to a racial slur while putting up hoardings.
Born in Rotorua to Taiwanese immigrants, Wang, who was elected to Rotorua Lakes Council in 2019, said he had not faced any targeted abuse so far this election, but had had some hoardings vandalised.
He said it was "really annoying" due to the effort and cost of putting the hoardings up.
Wang said the vandalism of Kumar's sign was "disappointing".
"No matter our politics [...] that kind of activity just isn't right. You don't go around cutting people's faces out. I do feel for whoever gets targeted like that.
"It's a really personal thing when you attack someone's race. It's something they can't change, [that] they're born with."
Wang said the threat of racial abuse could act as a deterrent for some potential candidates, but for others, it would spur them on.
"It'll make them even more eager to stand. It will almost power them up to say that this is why they need to stand, [...] so we can show that kind of behaviour and bigotry is not the majority."
Local Government NZ chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene said replacing billboards could be costly for candidates, who were usually paying for advertising themselves.
"While a defaced billboard might seem part and parcel of election time, the message it sends can deter some candidates from putting their hands up."
She said the member organisation wanted to make sure Local Government and the campaign trail was a "safe and constructive environment" for all elected members and new candidates.
"Earlier in the year, the Government removed the requirement for residential addresses to be published on billboards. LGNZ raised this issue with the Prime Minister, so it's great to see this change."
Earlier this month, RNZ reported similar acts of vandalism towards Auckland local body candidates' hoardings.
Howick Ward councillor Paul Young, standing for re-election, had his face cut out or painted over on more than 20 billboards.
It also happened to fellow Howard Ward councillor candidate Vinson Yu's signs.
On both occasions, nearby Pākehā candidates' faces were spared.
A North Shore candidate, Joe Zhou, had racist slurs graffitied over at least eight of his billboards.
Ngozi Penson, who moved to New Zealand from Nigeria 24 years ago and is running for Kaipātiki local board, told RNZ that three of her hoardings were removed days after they were installed.
Local Democracy Reporting is public interest journalism funded by NZ On Air.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.