Auckland mayoralty: Leo Molloy and Efeso Collins clash over digital diversion

Auckland mayoral candidates Leo Molloy and Efeso Collins. Photo / RNZ

By Jonty Dine of RNZ

The race for the Auckland mayoralty is heating up with candidates in a spat over a website domain mystery.

Anyone clicking on EfesoCollins.co.nz or CraigLord.co.nz – both of whom are seeking the city’s top job – is taken to a site showing the profile of rival candidate Leo Molloy.

Molloy on Friday said he had no knowledge of who was behind the domain debacle.

“I don’t get involved in that sort of thing, I’m a pretty straight shooter.”

The Domain Name Commission’s registry lists a Leo Molloy of Auckland as a contact, but Molloy said his technological ability renders him incapable of such a stunt.

“I’m an old dude, I’ve got a cellphone and an iPad that’s about where I begin and end.”

Collins said the misdirection was an underhanded ploy and a cheap shot – whoever was responsible.

“When you’re in a game like this you want to play hard but fair and make sure no matter who your opposition is, you are not doing anything that’s underhanded towards them – so pretty un-Kiwi in my books.”

The Labour and Green-endorsed candidate said he believes Molloy when he says he wasn’t involved.

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“If he said he’s got nothing to do with it then I accept that on face value and hope this gets sorted.”

However, fellow mayoral hopeful Craig Lord was not so sure.

“I know Collins does [believe that] but he’s just a nice bloke but no, I don’t believe it.”

Lord said he became aware of the situation several weeks ago.

Suspicious, he visited the Domain Name Commission’s registry to see the contact for craiglord-dot-co-nz listed as Craig at who dot co dot nz.

Molloy said he didn’t have anything to do with that domain either, although Lord said “Craig who?” has been a recurring dig from the Molloy camp during the campaign.

Auckland Council elections programme manager Elodie Fontaine says websites are not under their control and not covered under advertising provisions.

“We hope whoever is responsible for these actions carefully considers whether this is morally appropriate and in the spirit of the fair democratic process, and acts accordingly.”

Collins became aware of the domain issue last year, but opted not to take it further.

Craig Lord. Photo / LDR

“There was no point in making a big fuss about it, we thought it was a very underhanded thing to do whoever was behind but just got on with my campaign.”

Lord said he, too, was focused on his campaign, not silly political games.

“They can plead ignorance all they want but I think the general public would agree with me that there’s no way they did not know.”

Auckland City Council electoral officer Dale Ofsoske said registering rivals’ domain names is not illegal, but not exactly ethical.

“There actually has been no offence or breach under the Local Electoral Act.”

He said the council investigation was ongoing.

Two-term mayor and former Labour Party leader Phil Goff is not seeking re-election.

The local government elections will be held on Saturday, October 8.