Election sign defaced but humour remains intact

Waiariki candidate for Labour, Tamati Coffey, said he isn't taking the fact one of his election signs was defaced personally. Photo/File

A local election candidate has had a campaign sign defaced - but others say they have had no issues with six weeks to go until the election.

Labour's Waiariki candidate Tamati Coffey had a campaign sign in Whakatane defaced with an offensive anti-government slogan on Thursday but says he isn't taking it personally.

"I'm not taking it personally at all, you can't. It speaks more to the current government than to us, I potentially agree but not in such strong words."

He said signs being defaced happened to every candidate.

"It's the nature of putting it out there in an unmonitored space."

Mr Coffey said he had put up 140 signs around the Waiariki electorate but this was the first to have been damaged this campaign.

"I'm keeping it in perspective, I put up the post [on Facebook] in jest, I could get angry but it happens."

Mr Coffey said it was expensive to replace as signs had to be bought in bulk but the sign would be replaced.

He said Labour candidates were waiting to hear from head office regarding when signs with new leader Jacinda Ardern would be put up around the country.

"They need to do a big print run, we're looking at a two to three week time frame."

Labour Rotorua candidate Ben Sandford and Green Party candidate Richard Gillies said none of their signs had been damaged.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said his signs were also untouched.

"It's a lot less than previous elections, and I put that down to two things, Rotorua feels more content and the Rotorua Lakes Council changed the rules so all signs are only on private property."