ELECTION 2023
EVELYN.THORN@cluthaleader.co.nz
Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan says he is not just fixing vandalised Labour Party election signs, he is fixing all damaged election signs he comes across.
Mr Cadogan was spotted in Balclutha’s Main St fixing a vandalised Labour Party election board last week.
On Wednesday, three signs had been visibly vandalised — two Labour Party signs and one for the National Party.
On Thursday, only the Labour Party signs had been reinstalled.
The Otago Daily Times talked to Mr Cadogan on Thursday and asked why he was fixing election signs.
Mr Cadogan said it was not about him fixing any particular sign as a mayor, he was fixing all damaged signs as a human being.
‘‘I’m fixing all signs, not just one or the other,’’ he said.
‘‘The front side of the National Party sign on North Balclutha is still perfectly intact, but the damage is 2m high, so I will have to get a ladder and some screws to fix it.
‘‘It’s a bigger repair than the others, so I can’t do [it] on the spot.’’
He said this was the seventh time he had fixed a vandalised sign for this election.
‘‘The destruction has become a lot worse with the upcoming elections.
‘‘It’s a lot worse than any other time we’ve had signs up [for any sort of democratic process.]’’
‘‘Mayors wouldn’t normally do this kind of thing — it’s just me.’’ ‘‘The way I see it is if that’s all that you’ve got to offer for democracy, then you’ve got nothing to offer. Putting the signs back up will just give them something to think about. I don’t give a damn what political party it may be.
‘‘It’s a pretty shallow attitude to the world in the middle of an important time.’’
He said he suspected the same individual was causing the damage as he had noticed it was similar each time he had fixed a sign.
‘‘Usually if it’s drunks coming home from the pub they’d drop their shoulder and boot it around a bit. Whoever has done it has knocked them down identically and obliterated and slashed them.
‘‘I suspect it is going to be a long six weeks.’’
Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Parsons, of Balclutha, said police had identified two youths in regards to the damaged signs and were continuing to follow up the matter.
