As the general election looms, hoardings have been popping up around the electorate, but as Waitaki electorate Labour candidate Ethan Reille has discovered, they’re not always a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.

Last Saturday (August 12), was the official start date for the hoardings to be erected - two months out from the October 14, election date.

“It’s a confronting time for a lot of people, especially those that aren’t choosing to engage in this election, and I only hope that by them seeing political signs, they can start to have a think about who they want to be supporting come October the 14th,” he said.

With a team of volunteers, Ethan put up about 30 hoardings in Ōamaru and surrounding areas last weekend, and more went up the weekend just past.

He said it was a fun day for the community and the team, but he also understood that while people did have political beliefs, some felt “uneasy” about them being so public.

“Whilst we are quite a political community, we tend to keep that online. We don't see it predominantly in person. So yes, this probably was a little bit uneasy for a lot of people, but it was also an exciting time for a lot of people. We got a lot of toots, a lot of people stopping by to chat.”

Since his hoardings have gone up, Ethan has become aware of people, particularly those in rentals, being told to take them down, by either landlords or neighbours.

One tenant had a Labour hoarding ripped down while they were not home.

“If you are a tenant and you live in rented accommodation, you do have democratic rights that need to be upheld. 

“So under the Residential Tenancy Act . . . it states that erecting a hoarding, whether it be to a fence or whether it be onto a framed post in your front lawn, is a minor change to the land and it is an unlawful act for a landlord or a landowner to refuse consent for that minor change.

“So long as the tenant complies with Electoral Commission laws to have that removed the day before the election, it’s okay.”

Ethan has received messages from members of the community, requesting that signs be taken down.

He and his team have also had to intervene on the behalf of tenants, who have been told by landlords to take signs down.

“Because everyone has the right to express their democratic values,” he said.

Things became even more complicated with landlords also able to have an electionary hoarding on their rental properties, which the tenant may not agree with, so there is the possibility for two opposing hoardings on one property. 

“So . . . we have one property where the landlord lives over in the UK and she always has one of our hoardings, and the tenant just has to agree with that. Fortunately, they're a Labour supporter, so it's fine, but I probably wouldn't put one up if they didn't want one, just out of respect.

“I think I stand in the position where those that have to endure that on a daily basis, and have to live with that, should feel comfortable with that, and should be in support of that.” 

Neighbours have also complained about hoardings on properties next door, and have asked they be moved to point in a different direction, and Ethan said they were happy to co-operate with people as much as possible, as long as the sign was still visible from the road.

“I think, you know, the election is less than two months away . . . I'd like to think that members of the community can suck it up. Hold off until October the 13th until they get removed.”

“We also need to understand . . . we're all individuals, we all have our own beliefs, religious beliefs, political beliefs . . . and we're absolutely entitled to those, and we can't criticise or shame our neighbours for having those beliefs.” 

Ethan said in one spot where he and his team were putting up hoardings, the ACT party were putting up theirs and they had a “really positive conversation” with them. 

“They offered to help us, and they said, you know, we'll see you on October 13, when we take them down. 

“I think that shows the reality behind this campaign. We'll never agree on policies, but - oh well, sometimes we might, sometimes we won't - but we still have that mutual respect and the effort that we're both putting into these campaigns.”

Waitaki electorate National candidate Miles Anderson said he and his team had also been putting up hoardings around the electorate since last Saturday.

“I haven't experienced any animosity so far, plenty of support and honks from passing traffic,” he said.

He had more than 200 signs spread over the entire electorate so far.

Two young National supporters next to one of National candidate Miles Anderson's signs, which has gone up in the Waitaki electorate. PHOTO: Supplied