Lorck backed Nats: Campaigner

Anna Lorck (back, left) pictured during a lunch for businesswomen at Napier in May 2008, with John Key, the then National leader of the opposition. Photo/File

A former campaigner for Tukituki National MP Craig Foss says Tukituki Labour candidate Anna Lorck knowingly supported National when she volunteered at a National Party base during the 2011 election.

But Ms Lorck maintains she was never a National Party supporter.

The election-day organiser of Craig Foss' campaign team in 2011, Jo Harvey, told Hawke's Bay Today she approached Ms Lorck to volunteer on the phones of Tukituki's National Party base on election day because she was on a mailing list of National supporters.

Ms Harvey said Ms Lorck had agreed to volunteer, stating that she was a "front-line type of girl," and offered to volunteer more of her time "if there's anything else you need".

"When I approached Anna Lorck, I told her what organisation I was from and at no point did she ask to be removed from the [mailing] list."

Ms Harvey said Ms Lorck sat in the same phone bank as Craig Foss' parents, who were also volunteering.

"She [Ms Lorck] knew what she was doing. She knew who we were and she knew what party she was supporting."

Ms Lorck has this week rejected claims that she was a National Party supporter three years ago. The claims were fanned by the emergence of a photograph of her with Prime Minister John Key in 2011.

Ms Harvey's comments came after Ms Lorck declared her election-day volunteering on Sunday.

"As I confirmed [Sunday], I spent one hour on election day at a National Party base calling offering transport to a polling both, that was not about supporting Craig Foss.

"I was happy to help to get people out to vote. I declared this in my nomination form before I stood for Labour," she said.

Ms Harvey said while parties weren't allowed to campaign on election day, volunteers at the National phone banks were supplied a list of people likely to vote National by the party's headquarters, and rang them to encourage them to vote.

"Who did she think she was calling?"

Ms Harvey, who is not a member of Mr Foss' campaign team this year, said due to Ms Lorck's help on election day 2011, she thought Ms Lorck's Labour candidacy was "a joke".

"I didn't take it very seriously at all."

Ms Lorck said she wasn't interested in "playing games" and had no further comment.

"I'm focused on what does matter; better-paying jobs, homes, health, education and regional development for Tukituki."