John MacDonald: This is a new low in political attack ads

Anyone who’s ever been the victim of a home invasion needs to avoid seeing the latest election campaign ad from the Taxpayers’ Union.

It’s the latest in a series of attack ads from this outfit. Alongside all the other negative advertising out there from some of the actual political parties.

But this one takes it to the next level.

What they’ve done, is they’ve used AI to create a video which shows Labour leader Chris Hipkins kicking down the doors at people's homes, rushing in and helping himself to their wallets and cash.

The objective is to show how much of a money grab Labour’s capital gains tax would be.

The part that I find most disturbing, is where the Chris Hipkins character kicks in the door of an elderly woman’s home while she’s sitting on the couch.

The Hipkins character then grabs money sitting on the TV cabinet and takes off, leaving the woman sitting there like a stunned mullet.

That’s why I’m saying that anyone who’s ever been the victim of a home invasion needs to avoid seeing this thing. Because I’m in no doubt that it will be triggering for some people.

Which is why I think it is the most bad taste election campaign ad I’ve ever seen.

I’m not the only one who feels that way.

David Cormack owns Cormack PR and he’s told the NZ Herald that the ad is “revolting”. He uses some other words too. But I’m not going to repeat them.

He’s saying today: “The Taxpayers Union is putting Hipkins at the scene of a robbery. There’s a difference between saying someone will cost you money and depicting them stealing from your wallet.”

He says: “They’ve turned a tax argument into a home invasion.”

And that is what makes this ad so appalling. Say what you like about Chris Hipkins, but don’t use something so terrifying, like a home invasion, to make a political point.

But, as I said earlier, the Taxpayers’ Union will accuse me of overreacting.

I know that, because Jordan Williams from the Union called me this morning to say it was just satire.

After telling the NZ Herald: “AI is so good now we have to artistically make it so over the top to make it clear that it is done in humour rather than for someone to take it seriously.”

He said: “I got advice on this ad and the lawyer’s advice was that no one’s going to look at this and think it’s genuinely Chris Hipkins because it’s so over the top.”

But I’m sorry Jordan. Negative political ads have had their day. And appalling ads like this one should never see the light of day.

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