Police are investigating a "minor assault" after the deputy leader of the New Conservatives says one of its supporters was "slashed" by a knife-wielding "leftist".
Elliot Ikilei told Newshub the west Auckland member stepped in to stop the person attacking an election hoarding on Titirangi Road.
"One of our people, they disturbed someone trying to attack our sign and in the process he has not engaged in anything but the leftist person has gone and assaulted our person which has left of course the slash attack that occurred," he said on Friday.
Police told Newshub they have spoken to a 21-year-old man in relation to the graffiti and assault.
"The man has been referred through the Te Pae Organa Iwi Community Panels."
"Defacing property is an act of intentional damage and is a criminal offence."
Ikilei says the incident is not isolated, claiming his New Plymouth candidate had his tires slashed, and party leader Leighton Baker received a "vicious" death threat.
He did not offer specifics on the death threats, but said police would investigate as the person who made them was "identifiable".
The deputy leader says his party is targeted "more than all others combined" because New Conservatives are the only Party willing to speak about "equality, freedom and the role of family".
"The other parties are weak in how they speak their ideas - so it makes sense," he said.
The New Conservatives campaign pushes hard on what they say are family values - one policy says single mothers who can not be placed with immediate family will be given the option to live with an "experienced" couple to learn "budgeting skills".
The Party has also promised to abolish all Maori seats in Parliament, scrap all changes made to firearms legislation and repeal the Emission Trading Scheme and Zero Carbon Bill if elected.
"We take the stance that freedom and democracy is important, families are important," said Ikilei.
"New Conservatives are the only party who uphold western values and we know that is the greatest culture in the history of mankind."
This story was amended 11 September to clarify that the New Conservatives' single mother policy is optional not compulsory.
