Dick Quax - someone who cares. Photo / Martin Sykes
Dick Quax - someone who cares. Photo / Martin Sykes
KEY POINTS:
Someone does care about the local body elections after all - enough to complain to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
With two days before votes are counted it seems few people give a toss about the elections, with the number of voting forms received by returning officers downon three years ago.
But Manukau mayoralty candidate Dick Quax and Auckland's Water Pressure group spokeswoman Penelope Bright obviously care a great deal.
They care so much they complained about election-related advertising to the ASA ... not that they got anywhere with their complaints.
Ms Bright took exception to Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard saying "I work collaboratively and not confrontationally".
That was misleading advertising, she told the ASA.
The ASA chairman ruled "robust aspirational statements" were part and parcel of political advertising, and in that context were not misleading.
Mr Quax, one of 11 candidates vying to succeed long-serving Mayor Sir Barry Curtis, thought a Manukau City Council ad was trying to influence voters.
A radio advertisement on Mai FM and FLAVA stations said "having things like free youth events could change, depending who gets voted on to our local council".
Mr Quax said that was an overtly political statement aimed at getting the listener to vote for candidates who would provide "free youth events".
The complaint was better addressed under the Local Electoral Act, the ASA chairman said, declining to adjudicate.
