Nats want privacy for helpers

Bill English believes that party workers and their families may be at risk.

The National Party wants a change in the requirement for personal home addresses to be printed on all campaign advertising so party workers do not become targets of opponents.

Deputy leader Bill English said that while MPs were public figures, most financial agents were not but could be the scapegoat for controversial policies simply because their home addresses were on every billboard and pamphlet.

Mr English said a new Electoral Finance Act (EFA) requirement for home addresses on all advertising was an issue for financial agents from all parties. Many agents would have families, and the requirement could put people off doing the job.

"It creates some significant problems. It means people who are opposed to the views of that party or candidate can look at the address and throw bricks through their windows or knock the mailbox down."

Third parties are also expected to list home addresses for financial agents, but Mr English said it was unnecessary for party and candidates because they were easily identified and tracked down.

National would raise the issue with other political parties to see if there was any agreement over how to deal with the issue.

The party would also raise it with the Electoral Commission.

Labour's president, Mike Williams, dismissed Mr English's concerns as "a bit paranoid" because home addresses were available on electoral rolls which anybody could look up. Company directors were also expected to put home addresses on a public register.

However, Mr English said, there was a clear difference between having to actively look someone up and "getting that information just by picking up a pamphlet or looking at a billboard while walking through the street".

Mr English's concern has drawn sympathy from Green Party co-leader Russel Norman, who said there was sense in allowing a business address - such as a party or candidate's office - to be used as an alternative. He said it was an issue an independent review of electoral issues - which is due to begin this year - could consider.

The previous law allowed company addresses and post office boxes to be used in the authorising statements for election advertisements.

Mr Williams said the law was changed in response to the Exclusive Brethren campaign in the last election. It was to prevent groups disguising their identity by giving post office numbers or vacant lots as addresses.

The issue of home addresses on election advertisements has already caused a problem this year after 21-year-old Andrew Moore decided to take down his anti-Labour website after the Electoral Commission demanded he put his address on it.