A second Labour smear campaign
Oh my God. Labour are repeating their 2005 smear campaign to state housing tenants. Is there any depth they won’t stoop to?
The reality under National is has increased the housing stock, with the only sales (a few dozen) being to existing tenants, and the capital used to buy more houses. In fact the total number of state houses has increased by more than 1,000 under National. National has also renovated or upgraded 50,000 state houses.
It is an absolute lie to say National is reviewing all state house tenancies. The policy clearly says only *new* tenancies will be placed on periodic review.
So Labour are putting out material saying Vote Labour to save your family home and vote Labour if you want to be around to see your kid’s first birthday. This is what happens when you place Trevor Mallard in charge of your campaign. It shows they are totally unchanged from the bunch that got kicked out in 2008 – in fact I think they have got worse.
UPDATE: Inventory at Keeping Stock blogs the problems caused by Labour’s fake eviction notices in 2005, according to the State Services Commissioner:
Eviction notices
The last issue I wish to raise is the unintended and complex consequences for State servants of actions taken during political campaigns. In this election period, the Labour Party sent fake “eviction notices” to several thousand individual State house tenants as part of a housing policy promotion. This action had two consequences for the State Services. Firstly, it raised trust issues as tenants were suspicious that a government agency had given their private information to a political party, and, secondly, Housing New Zealand staff had to manage calls from worried and scared tenants.
Housing New Zealand confirms that it did not release its tenants’ mailing list. Labour Party president Mike Williams stated the party “constructed its own list” from publicly available information (New Zealand Herald, 10 September 2005). However, the outcome of this communication meant that Housing New Zealand call centre staff were placed in the potentially difficult predicament of managing calls from concerned tenants. Call centre staff were given guidance that they must remain neutral and not get into the position where they are discussing the pros and cons of various party policies on housing with tenants.
Labour have sent these not just to state house tenants, but also to non state house tenants who may be conned into thinking somehow National may evict them also.
Do you know why Labour are distributing these now, and not later this week? If you put out a false pamphlet up until Wednesday, then there is no sanction for Labour, even if say the ASA finds it false. However if they put out a false pamphlet on Thursday and Friday, then it is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act and those responsible can be prosecuted and jailed for a corrupt practice. So the timing is no coincidence.
If anyone at all receives either of the smear pamphlets on Thursday or Friday, please let me know and retain a copy of it.