Trouble for Kenneth Wang over billboard

NEW ZEALAND HERALD: Former Act MP Kenneth Wang thought launching his campaign in the new electorate of Botany with the slogan "vote Wang, get Wang and Wong" would be a clever way to re-enter Parliament on November 8.

But what he is getting instead is a possible $40,000 fine and the wrath of National's candidate Pansy Wong, who is standing against him.

Mrs Wong has written to Mr Wang, asking for the "offending billboards" to be removed - or face having a complaint being lodged with the Electoral Commission, where he could be fined up to $40,000 under Section 65(4) of the Electoral Finance Act.

Mr Wang said: "The threat of a lawsuit is not only disgraceful, it is disgusting. I am going to fight to the end."

He explained that Mrs Wong is "safe" on the National Party list and would be returned to Parliament whether or not she wins Botany - so Mr Wang has put up 30 hoardings throughout the electorate telling people that a vote for him will be a vote for both himself and Pansy Wong to represent them.

"It's like saying 'vote one MP, get one free' - a message which many people like - and I think Pansy should be positive and support it if she is sincere about wanting to get more Asian MPs into Parliament," he said.

Mr Wang is not on the Act Party list and needs to win the electorate. He does not see anything "illegal" or "wrong" about it because Rodney Hide used the same tactic to win in Epsom at the last election, he says.

"It is ridiculous that in her attempts to sue me, she is using the EFA, an act which National has condemned. The billboard stays until the election is over. I am not going to remove a single one," said Mr Wang.

Mrs Wong, who launched her campaign yesterday with hustings from a blue double decker bus around Botany, confirmed that she will be lodging a complain against Mr Wang.

"The National Party does not agree with the EFA, but that doesn't mean we are not subject to it," she said. "By using my name on his hoardings, what he is effectively doing is making me accountable for his election spending."

EFA Section 65(2) states: "A promoter must not publish ... an election advertisement that encourages or persuades, or appears to encourage or persuade, voters to vote for a party unless the publication of the advertisement is authorised in writing by the financial agent ... "

In a letter to Mr Wang, the financial agent for Mrs Wong, Navin Chandra, wrote: "The words 'get Wang and Wong' encourage or persuade voters to vote for the National Party and/or Pansy Wong. However your hoardings have not been authorised by either the National Party's financial agent, or myself."

Neither does Mrs Wong think her electorate wants "more Chinese MPs" to represent them.

"Botany is a multi-ethnic electorate and residents will vote on the strength and commitments of the candidates beyond our skin colours."