Thieves take off with Maori Party campaign wagon

Maori Party hopes of matching National's swept-up bus when it rolls through Rotorua today have been dashed with thieves making off with the party's promotional caravan.

And the theft of the caravan, emblazoned with red, white and black tino rangatiratanga flags along both sides, has left Maori Party Waiariki candidate Te Ururoa Flavell scratching his head.

The caravan was stolen from the property of a Rotorua signwriting company where it was booked to have Maori Party logos applied last month.

Mr Flavell said he could not understand how the caravan had vanished.

"I am still wondering how it is that someone could escape Rotorua with a very distinctive caravan painted with tino rangatiratanga flags along the side and not be seen by someone."

While the theft was a further blow to the party's stretched electioneering budget, it was the loss to whanau who donated the caravan that annoyed Mr Flavell the most.

"Whanau gifted this to us to use, and now it has been stolen.

"Adding insult to injury", Mr Flavell said an invoice for more than a thousand dollars in signwriting and paint work had just arrived.

Mr Flavell urged anyone with information to contact Rotorua police or to contact the Rotorua Maori Party office.

The National Party's campaign bus is due in Rotorua this morning.

It will then head south and is expected in Wanaka by the end of the month, when the parliamentary recess ends.