Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has hit out at the targeted vandalism of her party’s campaign billboards, highlighting the resource divide between grassroots campaigns and wealthier political parties.
Reflecting on the defacement of her signage, Ngarewa-Packer contrasted the realities smaller parties face with those of well-funded opponents.
“What happens when rich parties’ billboards get destroyed? They get more. They get back-ups, they get private land which makes accessing their boards harder,” said Ngarewa-Packer.
“What happens when small parties’ boards get targeted? Well I guess you’ll be seeing us with some not so fun tattoos across our faces while our grassroots whānau try their best to clean us up.”
Unlike major parties backed by extensive commercial teams, Ngarewa-Packer noted that her billboard operation relies entirely on her husband, a handful of dedicated supporters working around their normal jobs, and whānau who volunteer to host and clean up damaged signs.
Despite the personal nature of the attacks—which have included abusive language and facial defacement—Ngarewa-Packer said she can handle the damage as long as it motivates voters.
“I can handle being defaced (in fact I can guarantee I have no alignment with the types of people doing this based on the language I’m seeing) as long as you all get enrolled, vote and get this govt out,” she said.
Drawing a direct link between the current political administration and the behavior playing out on the streets, Ngarewa-Packer urged voters to channel their energy into the ballot box.
“There is a correlation between the Govt we have & the behaviour emboldened by them… some of which we are seeing play out here. Candidate vote Te Pāti Māori, get this Govt out.”
Tauranga and Hamilton West cases highlight wider election sign backlash
The frustrations voiced by Te Pāti Māori echo similar concerns raised nationally as political sign vandalism intensifies across the country.
In Hamilton West, Minister Tama Potaka has also condemned widespread damage to electorate billboards, pointing out abusive graffiti directed at political figures and the Prime Minister, Potaka emphasised the simple rule of respecting private property, “It’s simple. It’s not yours, don’t touch it… If you don’t like us, don’t vote for us! But ultimately leave private property alone.”
Meanwhile, police in the Bay of Plenty have taken firm action against similar unlawful behavior. A 43-year-old Tauranga man was arrested and charged with four counts of wilful damage following an alleged vandalism spree targeting approximately 30 political hoardings across Pāpāmoa. Authorities praised public tip-offs for enabling a swift arrest, warning that destructive behavior and unnecessary repair costs for campaign teams will not be tolerated.
