Acacia O’Connor (left) publicised NZ First leader Winston Peters’ personal address online.
Photo: One NZ/RNZ
One NZ is removing footage of an actor from an ad campaign after revelations she publicised NZ First leader Winston Peters’ personal address online and encouraged people to join a pro-Palestine protest outside his house.
Earlier in the day, National’s Nicola Willis had suggested One NZ “take another look” at the actor’s involvement given her actions.
It’s prompted Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick to accuse government ministers of bullying protesters and causing them to lose income.
In a statement released this afternoon, One NZ said: “We don’t back any behaviour that puts people’s safety at risk. What’s happened doesn’t line up with our values, so we’re taking the character out of our marketing.”
Acacia O’Connor, also a spokesperson for Global Movement to Gaza, had been a featured character in the telco’s ‘Let’s Get Connected’ ad series.
Acacia O’Connor (right) had been a featured character in the telco’s ‘Let’s Get Connected’ ad series.
Photo: One NZ
O’Connor last week livestreamed a video on Instagram of a pro-Palestine protest outside Peters’ home and shared the name of the street.
Her actions came under increased scrutiny this week after she took part in media conference alongside Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick on Monday.
Later in the day, a window was smashed at Peters’ home. A 29-year-old man has since been charged with burglary and will appear in Auckland District Court on Friday.
Acacia O’Connor pictured in a white t-shirt behind Green Party co-leaders at a media conference on Monday.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
RNZ has requested comment from O’Connor.
‘They’ve made their own choice,’ Willis says
Speaking at Parliament, Peters told reporters he thought One NZ had done the right thing. Earlier, he had denounced the “tragic” sharing of his address.
Willis said ultimately One NZ had made its own judgement.
“They’ve made their own choice,” she said. “Clearly, they condemn the behaviour of that individual and I think most New Zealanders would.
“That individual conducted herself in a way that I think lacked basic humanity. It is completely inappropriate to give people’s private addresses out on social media and to protest outside people’s homes in the way that she did.”
The smashed window.
Photo: RNZ/Kim Baker Wilson
Swarbrick told reporters it was “not appropriate” to share politicians’ addresses online but she also questioned the focus of government ministers.
“We have New Zealanders who are currently exercising their legal right to protest, who are being bullied by some of the most powerful people in the country, and that is resulting in them, I guess, losing their income.”
Asked about O’Connor’s involvement in the Greens’ media conference on Monday, Swarbrick said she had “no idea” O’Connor would be there and had no formal role.
“That press stand up was largely arranged by the community itself. We helped to facilitate things.”
Swarbrick said she could not be expected to know “absolutely everything about everybody” she stood next to, but acknowledged, with hindsight, it was an oversight not to be more fully briefed.
“Sure, but let’s also be honest about the fact that this was something that was organised by a community who is in an immense amount of heartbreak because their family members have been illegally kidnapped by Israel.”
Swarbrick had also criticised Willis’ earlier use of the phrase – “call the dogs off” – in relation to the protesters.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins also agreed that such inflammatory language was very unhelpful.
“Now is the time to dial back the rhetoric,” he said.
In response, Willis said she was clearly using a metaphor as part of political speech.
“How precious do we have to be?… That is a phrase that actually has its origins in Shakespeare,” she said.
Swarbrick also implored reporters to put questions to Peters about “the role he may have had in inflaming rhetoric” which led to former Green MP Benjamin Doyle’s resignation.
Peters rejected any suggestion of hypocrisy and said Doyle had already been receiving abuse before he drew attention to Doyle’s old social media posts.
“Go look at the chronology and try get a bit of research behind your question.”
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