National Attack Ads Against Labour Use Crime Footage From Government’s Own Term

Lillian
Hanly Political Reporter

National
is defending the use of footage showing violent crime under
its own government in attack ads against Labour.

But
Labour says it is dishonest and desperate from
National.

It comes after the National Party posted a
campaign video on social media showing clips of violent
crime. It stated Labour was soft on crime and Kiwis will be
safer under National.

But some of the footage is from
crime committed during the early part of the coalition
government, with the footage matching news stories from that
period of time.

National’s campaign chair Simeon Brown
defended the move, and rejected the suggestion it was
misleading.

Brown said the coalition got rid of gang
patches, put in tougher consequences for crime and had given
judges less discretion.

“Most of those scenes were
prior to when the legislation came into effect.

“We’ve
now passed that law, and as New Zealanders know, they feel a
lot safer now than they were prior to those laws being
passed.”

He confirmed Mark Mitchell was police
minister when the crimes in some of the footage took place,
but said National was being “very focused and very
honest”.

Brown was asked about the nurses
the coalition government claims to have hired on its
watch, as opposed to the crimes the video implies took place
under Labour, but he simply responded saying “we changed the
law”.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon dismissed the
issue, acknowledging the party may have used some images
that “actually were before our laws took full effect,” but
said the key message was that “crime is
down”.

Labour’s campaign chair Kieran McAnulty said it
was “desperate” from National.

“They are desperately
worried … and they are trying desperate
measures.

“I’m not sure it’ll wash with New
Zealanders. I’m not sure it’ll sit that comfortably with
them.”

He said liars tended to be dishonest and when
National switched its campaign chair from Chris Bishop to
Brown, McAnulty said to Labour “we’re going to be dealing
with a dishonest campaign now”.

“That’s what we’re
dealing with.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it was
just another example of the National Party lying to the New
Zealand public.

“They can’t campaign on their own
track record, so all they can do is make up
lies.”

Hipkins added that Brown did not understand the
meaning of the word
“honest”.

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