National’s Mount Roskill MP Carlos Cheung says an election billboard has been deliberately set on fire after previously being vandalised, prompting him to report the incident to...
National’s Mount Roskill MP Carlos Cheung says an election billboard has been deliberately set on fire after previously being vandalised, prompting him to report the incident to police.
Cheung shared a photograph of the burning signage on social media and condemned the incident as a threat to community safety and democratic participation.
According to RNZ, he said his campaign team would assist authorities with their investigation.
“This is not harmless behaviour. It is dangerous, reckless and completely unacceptable,” Cheung wrote.
His account comes amid reports of election signs being damaged across several electorates and political parties.
Cheung warns of danger to the community
Cheung said setting fire to campaign signage could endanger people and nearby property, with consequences extending beyond the destruction of a billboard.
He drew a distinction between political disagreement and destructive behaviour, saying opposition to a party or candidate did not justify vandalism or intimidation.
The MP also said the incident would not silence his campaign or discourage supporters from voting. Instead, he believed it would strengthen their determination to participate.
The supplied RNZ report does not include a police statement confirming the cause of the fire, identifying a suspect or announcing an arrest. The description of the fire as deliberate remains attributed to Cheung.
Damage reported across party lines
The Mount Roskill incident is not the only report of campaign signage being targeted.
In a separate incident, the New Zealand Herald reported that a National billboard in Mount Albert was destroyed by fire, requiring a response from Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Other candidates have described signs being cut, defaced or marked with abuse.
Waikato Labour candidate Jamie Toko said signs had been damaged by someone cutting out the party leader’s face. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer shared a photograph of a billboard defaced with a racist slur.
National’s Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton also posted photographs of damaged signs featuring himself and party leader Christopher Luxon. He urged people who disagreed with him to make contact and discuss their concerns instead of damaging property.
The reports involve different locations and circumstances. They do not establish that the incidents are connected or that any particular political group is responsible.
Campaign teams face replacement costs
For candidates and volunteers, damaged signs mean additional work and expense during an already demanding campaign.
Ngarewa-Packer described supporters fitting billboard work around their regular jobs, with whānau helping host, maintain and clean the signs.
The financial pressure can also limit whether damaged signage is replaced.
During last year’s local elections, Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley said she could not afford to keep buying replacements after her billboards were marked with personal abuse.
Her experience highlights how repeated damage can affect a candidate’s ability to maintain a visible campaign.
Where to report vandalism
In RNZ’s accompanying explainer, police said defacing, destroying or removing election hoardings is illegal and can lead to prosecution.
The Electoral Commission said theft or vandalism should be reported to police. Local councils handle rules governing when and where election signs can be displayed.
For the Mount Roskill incident, Cheung says a report has been made and his team is prepared to help authorities.
Further details about the circumstances of the fire and any police action remain to be confirmed.
Reporting based on RNZ’s coverage and Carlos Cheung’s social media statement.
