Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell Condemns Image Use by Hobson’s Pledge

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell has publicly condemned the political lobby group Hobson’s Pledge for using her image without permission in a social media post that criticized Māori wards. The post also included quotes from Tapsell, which she claims were manipulated to suggest her alignment with the group’s agenda.

Tapsell expressed her discontent on Facebook, stating, “You do not have my permission to use my image or comments to mislead the public that I support your campaign.” The social media post featured quotes from Tapsell that were taken from two separate occasions, specifically from May 2021 and October 2022. The image used was a photo from NZME, which was utilized without proper licensing or permission. Following Tapsell’s complaint, NZME requested that Hobson’s Pledge remove the image, which they subsequently did.

Despite the removal, Hobson’s Pledge later reposted the same quotes along with a different image of Tapsell, sourced from the Rotorua Lakes Council website. In this instance, the organization accused Tapsell of leveraging a copyright complaint to evade what they termed a “difficult” conversation regarding Māori wards. Upon discovering the unauthorized use of her image, Tapsell expressed her surprise and disappointment, stating she was “truly shocked” by the situation.

“I’ve never been associated with, and don’t ever intend to be associated with, Hobson’s Pledge,” she remarked in an interview with Local Democracy Reporting. Tapsell clarified her perspective on Māori wards in Rotorua, affirming her stance from 2021 and 2022 while indicating that her views pertain specifically to Rotorua and not to Māori wards in general. She acknowledged the historical representation of Māori individuals in the council, noting that approximately 40 percent of its members have Māori heritage, including herself as the first Māori female mayor.

The mayor expressed her support for maintaining the current structure of Māori wards in Rotorua but emphasized the need for local discussions on future representation. She indicated a desire for a return to representation reviews to shape the council moving forward.

In response to the controversy, Don Brash, leader of Hobson’s Pledge, stood by the posts, asserting that the organization was “not prepared” to make any changes. He admitted that Hobson’s Pledge did not seek permission from Tapsell or NZME to use the photo or confirm her stance on the quotes attributed to her. “We can’t help that,” Brash stated when questioned about the potential misalignment of Tapsell’s image with Hobson’s Pledge’s message. He maintained that the organization was within its rights to quote her prior statements regarding Māori wards.

This incident marks the second controversy for Hobson’s Pledge concerning its use of imagery in recent weeks. Earlier in August, the organization faced backlash for using a photograph of Rotorua resident Ellen Tamati in a nationwide campaign, prompting numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority. In that case, Hobson’s Pledge removed the billboards and extended an offer to apologize.

Brash clarified that Hobson’s Pledge typically sources images from recognized photography sites. He stated that the initial use of Tapsell’s image was believed to be legitimate until concerns were raised, at which point they opted for a different image.

Despite the unauthorized use of her image, Tapsell has decided not to pursue her complaint further, feeling there is little point in engaging with Hobson’s Pledge.

A binding poll regarding Rotorua’s three-seat Māori ward is scheduled to coincide with the upcoming Rotorua Lakes Council elections, which include races for mayor, councillors, and community boards in October 2023. Tapsell is seeking re-election as mayor, while referendums on Māori wards will also occur across 42 councils nationwide, including both local and regional entities.