Candidates Express Concern At Waitakere Mayoral Race Tactics

The Waitakere People, candidates for the New Lynn Ward, in the Waitakere City Local Body Election have today written to the Electoral Officer, Darryl Griffin to express their concern at the unfair tactics employed by Mr John Tamihere in his bid to become the Mayor of Waitakere City. They believe Mr Tamihere's use of his Radio Live radio show to campaign for election confers unfair advantage on him over the other candidates in the Mayoral election.

A spokes person for the Waitakere People said: "As a candidate. Mr. Tamihere has the potential to have a 15 hour a week presence in every Waitakere home with a radio. Had any of the other candidates chosen to use radio and achieve the same level exposure, they would have exhausted their legal campaign spending limit of $60,000NZD in the first few days. It distorts the democratic process by effectively favouring celebrity candidates.