Electoral Commission refers Sean Plunket’s tweets to the police

19 comments on “Electoral Commission refers Sean Plunket’s tweets to the police ”

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1. patricia bremner 1

   3 October 2017 at 2:44 pm

   Good. Hope they do their job!!
   • alwyn 1.1

     3 October 2017 at 2:59 pm

     Have the Police ever done anything about these sort of things?
     I know they never proceeded against Israel Dagg and Jonah Lomu, although I doubt either of them knew the law existed.
     Cunliffe did something similar, didn’t he? He should, like Plunket have known what the law was. Was he ever prosecuted?
     • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1

       3 October 2017 at 3:02 pm

       Why, did Plunket delete the tweet immediately and report himself to the authorities?
       • weka 1.1.1.1

         3 October 2017 at 3:15 pm

         No, but he did mock the law in the same thread as the original tweet,

         https://twitter.com/SeanPlunket/status/911444511611432960
         • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1.1.1

           3 October 2017 at 3:27 pm

           In fairness, the law is a bit of an ass, considering how long the polls are open.

           The best way to straighten the law out is probably to prosecute the odious bigot so all the arguments can get a proper airing.
           • weka 1.1.1.1.1.1

             3 October 2017 at 3:30 pm

             lol, true.

             I don’t expect much will come of it, but I do think the Communications Director of a political party should be held to a higher standard than the general public. I’ve heard the argument made that the public say what they want on SM, but that political parties, staff and volunteers are still prohibited.
       • Pete 1.1.1.2

         3 October 2017 at 6:17 pm

         You wouldn’t be suggesting Plunket was just being a smart-arse would you? Or is that just my reading of the episode?
         • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1.2.1

           3 October 2017 at 6:55 pm

           I think he’s hoping to be prosecuted as a first step towards forcing a law change, and that his wish should be granted.
     • Brigid 1.1.2

       3 October 2017 at 3:02 pm

       What was it Cunliffe did?
       • alwyn 1.1.2.1

         3 October 2017 at 3:36 pm

         I think it was something about voting for a Labour candidate in a by-election.
         It is a completely stupid law these days when the voting goes on for weeks.

         Actually the only part of the law I would like to see retained for Election Day is that all the billboards have to be removed. Otherwise it will be like Australia where they stay up for months getting ever more bedraggled. Rather like the posters promoting long past concerts on telephone poles.
         • North 1.1.2.1.1

           3 October 2017 at 6:25 pm

           The billboards were a bit of a temptation must say. Don’t know what finally stopped me from giving the National Party’s “Delivering for New Zealand” a bit of honesty……..”Deliverance for……..” – ‘Deliverance’……..a la ‘Duelling Banjos’ and buggered up genetics. The urge was strong I tell you.
2. tc 2

   3 October 2017 at 3:19 pm

   The BSA is a wet bus ticket distributor and sinecure central for national supporters like Sean.

   Morgan revealed on election night that’s exactly what TOP would’ve done….support national.

   Another institution that needs to be torn down and replaced with teeth, large fines at director level (because that’s where the buck stops) and a nice website to publish the BS it catches the MSM distributing.
   • rod 2.1

     3 October 2017 at 4:01 pm

     @ tc +100%
3. red-blooded 3

   3 October 2017 at 4:14 pm

   I do think the law needs overhauling. Plunket’s an odious prat and anyone working for a political party (especially in a comms role) should definitely know and follow the law (he was clearly mocking it). It is a law that’s past its use-by date, though. It assumes voters are idiots (“Oh – I saw someone wearing a Labour t-shirt – maybe I’ll vote for them!”) and as others have said ignores the increasing numbers of us who vote before the official day, anyway.

   I wouldn’t want to see people being harangued and hassled as they go to vote, but simply making it illegal to advertise or attempt to persuade anyone within a certain distance of a polling booth should be enough. Of course, that still leaves the issue of electronic ads and messages, phone calls etc, but I think the Electoral Commission could hear the publics’ thoughts on this stuff.
   • Matthew Whitehead 3.1

     3 October 2017 at 9:15 pm

     I think given how much the rest of us political tragics had to censor ourselves on social media on the day, it’s totally out of line for a party employee to break the law. I agree it’s an ass, but if ordinary people are being advised not to skirt it, Sean bloody Plunkett deserves to be made an example of.

     The next goverment should have a look at changing it I guess. I would say keep the current restrictions in place, but make it for candidates, employees, and people acting in a volunteer capacity for political parties, instead of for everyone.
4. AB 4

   3 October 2017 at 9:12 pm

   Off-topic – but jeepers, that picture of Plunket! We dodged a bullet with the flag referendum
   • Ed 4.1

     3 October 2017 at 9:25 pm

     Not off topic.
     Shows where Plunkett’s loyalties lie.
5. mosa 5

   4 October 2017 at 6:32 pm

   Plunket the plonker.

   No surprises in the company he keeps and the dish towel he uses.

Links to post

1. Anatomy of a plonker « The Standard: posted on 12 October 2017 at 6:47 am

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