Tory Whanau/Stuff
Tory Whanau claims Paul Eagle’s team removed one of her hoardings overnight on Saturday. (File photo)
Paul Eagle has been asked to reinstate a rival mayoral candidate’s election hoarding which was allegedly taken down by his team.
But Eagle and his team claim they don’t know what happened to the Tory Whanau hoarding, which was removed early on Saturday morning after being placed directly in front of Eagle’s existing timber frame.
Wellington’s mayoral candidates were already in a stoush over signs, with Whanau accusing Eagle of dibsing the best spots with empty timber frames before they were allowed to go up at midnight on Friday. Eagle denied putting any frames or signs up before midnight.
On Tuesday morning, the Wellington City Council asked Eagle to reinstate Whanau’s sign at a Johnsonville location. Her sign had been placed in front of Eagle’s empty frame and was replaced by an Eagle hoarding overnight on Saturday.
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Stuff graphic/Stuff
Whanau says she looks forward to seeing her sign back up, but Eagle’s team say they don’t know where it is.
An email from street activities and audit coordinator Jacqui Austin asked Eagle’s team to remove his hoarding and reinstate Whanau’s hoarding.
“You are required to reinstate the Tory Whanau sign back to its original location shown in the photo below and find another position for your election sign to be placed within the site so that is it not obstructing anyone else’s sign,” the email said.
Neither Eagle nor his team know what happened to the Whanau sign, according to a statement from media manager Georgina Stylianou.
Georgina Stylianou/Supplied
The Paul Eagle campaign moved their disputed hoarding further to the left as “a sign of goodwill” says media manager Georgina Stylianou, after a complaint to the council from Tory Whanau was upheld.
“Two of our volunteers have since moved the Paul Eagle sign at the disputed location as a sign of goodwill. We do not have the missing Tory Whanau sign and therefore cannot reinstate it,” she said.
Stylianou said Eagle campaign volunteers had set up hoarding frames after midnight, but had not yet attached the sign. It was during that time Whanau’s sign was put up “directly in front” of Eagle’s frame.
“This wasn’t something we believed warranted complaining about on Twitter or to the council,” she said.
Supplied
This Tory Whanau hoarding in Johnsonville, placed directly in front of an empty timber frame, is the subject of a dispute between candidates.
“I’m really pleased with the council for enforcing the rules and making sure candidates have a level playing field,” Whanau said on Tuesday morning.
“I look forward to seeing my sign back up.” She said her team would set up a new hoarding at the location if Eagle’s team could not find the sign that was removed.
The council email responded to a complaint lodged by Whanau on Tuesday morning. She asked for permission to restore her hoarding at the intersection of Helston Rd and Stewart Dr.
Whanau sent the council images showing her hoarding placed directly in front of one of the frames set up by Eagle’s campaign team, at 12.30am on Saturday.
She also sent photos taken on Saturday afternoon, showing the Whanau hoarding gone. In its place was Eagle’s hoarding sign on the timber frame.
Council spokesperson Richard MacLean confirmed the council had asked Eagle to remove his hoarding and reinstate Whanau’s hoarding.
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