New election rules to help protect privacy welcomed by Rotorua councillors

As of last week local election candidates are no longer required by law to display a physical address on their campaign materials. Photo / NZME

Rotorua local election candidates previously forced to display their home addresses on campaign advertising have welcomed with relief a law change aimed at protecting their privacy.

Election candidates are required by law to display a physical address on any campaign advertising material. For many standing for election, this meant publicly sharing their home addresses.

Last week, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced a law change that would allow options such as an email address, post office box or phone number to be used in place of a physical address.

"I have heard growing concerns that candidates who publicise their home addresses may face undue risk to their physical safety, particularly for women and visible minorities, and that this is likely to discourage democratic participation," said Mahuta.

Rotorua Lakes councillor Mercia Yates's home was burgled during her 2019 campaign. Photo / Andrew

Rotorua councillor Mercia Yates, who stood for the first time in 2019, said the law change was a "welcomed relief".

"People will find you if they need to but this was a bit too far."

Yates said having her address on campaign hoardings caused "added anxiety and vulnerability".

"I actually asked one of my friends if she would endorse my campaign and used her address as a means of protecting my children."

Yates' home was targeted in a burglary in 2019.

At the time Yates told the Rotorua Daily Post she did not believe the thefts had anything to do with her electoral campaign, but it was clear her house had been scoped out.

In 2019, Rotorua Lakes councillor Fisher Wang, then 19, set a record as the youngest councillor to be elected. Photo / Andrew Warner

Councillor Fisher Wang said he had been surprised to find out about the law in the first place, when he decided to stand for election three years ago.

"It surprised a lot of people around me as well."

Wang also stood for the first time in 2019.

"When I first put my campaign advertising out a lot of people told me not to put my address on there and I had to explain the law and requirement to them."

Wang said he was lucky that no unwanted visitors had turned up at his address.

"But speaking to other young elected members across the country I know some of them have experienced issues around safety and privacy."

Wang said the publicising of his address worried him and he would not be the only person to welcome the change.

"It's already a very public role. This law change will just mean there's a bit more safety and privacy."

Local Government New Zealand president and former Tauranga mayor Stuart Crosby. Photo / NZME

Local Government New Zealand president Stuart Crosby said the organisation suggested the change to Mahuta and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"The primary focus is to make sure that all candidates are as safe as possible."

Crosby said there had been "one or two incidents" where candidates' home addresses had been used for "inappropriate behaviour".

"In the current environment, which is quite strained in terms of various lobby groups and people with very strong positions, the easy accessibility of people's home addresses can put candidates at risk."

But the rule change was only one step and more work needed to be done, Crosby said.

"The other issue that needs more work is in the digital space. Social media has become highly abusive and aggressive."

Crosby said more attacks in both physical and online spaces seemed to be targeted on the basis of gender and race.

"It's sad it has come to this. It's not the New Zealand way."

Rotorua Lakes councillor Trevor Maxwell has stood in 16 local government elections. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua councillor Trevor Maxwell, who has stood in 16 local government elections, said he supported the decision.

"There have been huge changes from the first time I stood to now," Maxwell said.

"We never had the IT we've got in this day and age. I don't even think faxes were out then."

Maxwell said he believed the original law requiring the display of a candidate's physical address was needed to establish legitimacy.

"So that you appeared genuine and so people knew you weren't a fake person putting something up."

But these days, Maxwell acknowledged, there were many ways for local election candidates to prove they were real and reachable.

- Additional reporting, Alisha Evans, Local Democracy Reporting