Yesterday the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union stated that the “Keep it Real Online” ad campaign is funded by NetSafe. We have since been informed this is incorrect – while NetSafe consults on the campaign, the taxpayer funding comes via the Department of Internal Affairs.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “This information raises new questions, specifically for Tracey Martin, the Minister of Internal Affairs, who was elected under the New Zealand First banner partly based on the Party’s record of defending firearms owners.”

“One of the ‘Keep it Real Online’ ads demonises hunting as traumatic for children, and portrays hunters as irresponsible. Was Tracey Martin briefed on the ad campaign? If she had known that a taxpayer-funded advert was going to be so politically charged, would she have signed off on it?”

“The ad is made more inappropriate by its timing – it was published just a few days from the third reading of the Arms Amendment Bill. The Minister needs to halt the broadcast of this advert and instruct her Ministry’s campaign team to stay out of politics.”

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