Wellington, Oct 25 NZPA - Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Rick Barker advised volunteers to use false names and a fictitious company name when ringing people to conduct polls.

An unnamed volunteer, who was also a Green Party member, told the Herald on Sunday they were told to say they were from Data Research and could use another name if they wanted.

Mr Barker said he did it to make the volunteers feel more comfortable about cold calling.

"I told them: 'You could use another name if it makes it easier for you to make phone calls. For example, I could be Bill'," he told the newspaper.

Labour whip Darren Hughes said Mr Barker had led three polls.

"The name of Data Research was used to get as close to a scientific result as you could, to not influence results because of the way that people feel about a particular party.

"I'm sure that half the people trying to sell us things on telemarketing aren't giving us their real names."

The polls were a legitimate use of parliamentary resources, he said.

Labour Party president Andrew Little said he knew nothing about the operation.

"It would concern me very deeply," he said.

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff said the polling operation raised serious questions and could breach the Privacy Act.

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