Something old, something new

WHO BUILDS THEM?: Election signage on Masterton's High St.

In response to a reader query, the Times-Age asked the candidates if they "support local" with their signage and publicity.

Alastair Scott - National Party

Mr Scott has made use of local volunteers to get his hoardings up, while the signage is from National Party headquarters.

The timber is second hand, mostly from the last election.

"You've got to keep an eye on costs," he said.

His fliers have been printed locally and by headquarters, which included 25,000 arriving on a pallet one day.

There will be a further drop of 15,000, and probably another drop after that.

That's also handled by volunteers, with Rural Delivery handling rural roads.

"We've got a lot of volunteers, doing a great job."

Kieran McAnulty - Labour Party

Mr McAnulty said their main hoardings were printed centrally "along with every other Labour Party hoarding, to keep costs down.

"We have 130 hoardings out there so unfortunately we had to go for the cheapest option."

"However, all my pamphlets, business cards etc, and the letters that I signed, were all printed locally and my ute was sign-written locally."

Mr McAnulty has used Mark's Signs in Carterton, Greenlees Print in Masterton and Lamb and Peters in Greytown, and is about to use Printing.Com in Masterton.

Mr McAnulty said he had a small team of "dedicated local volunteers" who had helped him put up the hoardings.

"They also replace them when they get damaged which has happened quite a lot, unfortunately."

John Hart - Green Party

Wairarapa's Green Party billboards are national-style billboards, not personalised for Mr Hart, and are sourced via party headquarters.

Printed material, such as pamphlets and fliers, is a mix of national material and locally-printed runs - and printed on recycled paper.

He says they have used Printcraft, and the Sign Factory to create some "Meet the Candidate" signage to place outside meeting rooms.

"All our volunteers are completely local - they are friends and family."

Ron Mark - NZ First

If you're wondering why some of NZ First's candidate signage appears to show a slightly younger Ron Mark, that's because the party is recycling.

Some of their signage dates back to their 2008 campaign in Rimutaka, and Mr Mark's mayoral campaign.

Mr Mark said they had to be quick, given his late arrival to the election race.

"You can do these things, if you give it a bit of thought," he said.

"It's a lot cheaper than going out and having new hoardings done. The brand hasn't changed - I am what I am."

The bulk of signage is a new look, though, and has been printed in Masterton at the Sign Factory.

The timber comes from local builders' merchants.

Pamphlets have been printed by Lamb and Peters in Greytown.

Volunteers are local, including his family, as well as sons who came up from Canterbury to help with the hoardings.

Brent Reid - Conservative Party

The Conservative Party signage came from the party's headquarters, said Mr Reid.

It features leader Colin Craig, and is not personalised for Mr Reid.

"We're like the Greens - we're going for the party vote."

Pamphlets are also provided from party headquarters.

However, it is homegrown effort in putting the signage up - and a bit of recycling.

Mr Reid and his son - and the occasional helper - have done all the work of erecting the Conservative Party hoardings.

"It is a lot of work," he said.

"We had a whole lot of stuff [timber] left over from the last campaign, so I didn't have to pay for anything."

After the election, the signage is being given away to someone who can use the reverse sides, he says.