Billboards adjusted after complaints laid

Tukituki Labour Party candidate Anna Lorck adapted her billboards after complaints were laid about the statement "Your Local MP" to the Advertising Standards Authority. Photo/ Duncan Brown.

Labour Tukituki candidate Anna Lorck has adjusted her billboards after complaints were laid to the Advertising Standards Authority this week.

The statement was changed from "Vote Anna Lorck for Tukituki Your Local MP Here for You'' to "Vote Anna Lorck for Tukituki for a Local MP Here for You''.

The two complaints were laid against the line "Your Local MP" as Ms Lorck was not the local MP. She earlier defended the slogan as asking people to vote her in as a local MP.

However, Ms Lorck said it was a very simple adjustment and feels she now has a clearer and stronger vote local message.

"I think this reinforces my vote local message and gives it clarity. If people want a local MP then I am asking them to vote for me."

She said she had changed about 25 billboards at a cost of two dollars per billboard, but had a couple more to do today.

"I have been overwhelmed by the response from people as I have had offers of more sites and people have been texting and emailing me asking if they can help. When I was out adjusting the signs people would toot and offer support. It was good fun."

Ms Lorck said a picture of her altered billboard had been sent to the Advertising Standards Authority.

An Advertising Standards Authority spokeswoman said the two complaints had been accepted by the Complaints Board Chairman on Wednesday and they had notified the advertiser.

"It is now just going through the process and we usually have a turn around of 12 days but because it is an election issue we expect this to be shorter."

Ms Lorck said she was keen to move on with her campaign and get out there and focus on the real local issues.

National Tukituki candidate Lawrence Yule said it was good Ms Lorck and the Advertising Standards Authority had reached an agreement to make her signs legal, assuming they had been in contact with one another.

Greens Tukituki candidate Chris Perley said the complaint was "petty" and if the rumours were true that the right wing blogger Cameron Slater had laid the complaint then he had no time for it.

"It is like dirty politics all over again, we need to stay away from it."