Act official calls anti-war member a pig

By FRANCESCA MOLD, political reporter

Act supporter Rufus Dawe was abused by a board member after he shouted down speakers at the annual conference in an attempt to raise concerns about the war against Iraq.

The elderly Act member was heckled by the audience at the Wellington conference when he interrupted several speeches to complain that the party had not properly debated its support for United States-led military action against Saddam Hussein.

He was told by several conference goers to "Sit down, you idiot".

But when he left the room to get a cup of tea, he was approached by Act's Waikato board member Garry Mallett, who called him a "pig" and a "mad old man".

Mr Mallett, a former Act candidate and Hamilton City councillor, accused Mr Dawe of being "rude" by interjecting and embarrassing the party in front of the media.

"You're rude. You're a pig," said Mr Mallett as he walked past.

Mr Dawe tried to placate the angry board member, by patting him on the shoulder and saying, "At least I made you think about it".

Mr Mallett responded by telling Mr Dawe to take his hand off him and said: "How old are you? You're old. You're mad. You're nothing but a pig."

Mr Dawe's behaviour at the conference clearly angered party members, who felt he was diverting the media from positive news.

Act MP and deputy leader Ken Shirley tried to defuse tension by offering Mr Dawe a chance to speak at a hastily arranged forum on the party's support for the US position.

Mr Shirley said he supported Mr Dawe's right to free speech but he was unhappy with the way Mr Dawe raised his concerns.

Mr Shirley said New Zealand should stand beside its traditional allies.

But Mr Dawe said Act should not support an attack without United Nations approval.

He said Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator who had repeatedly defied UN resolutions to disarm.

But other nations had also ignored the UN but had not been invaded, including Israel, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

"If we abandon the UN, we will have the law of the jungle," Mr Dawe said. "The US is a wonderful country, but it should not be judge, jury, policeman and executioner."

Mr Dawe said many supporters of an attack on Iraq had never experienced war. He had served in the British Air Force in World War II, in which his brother was killed.

He also lost two uncles in World War I.

"I've seen plenty of corpses ... the survivors, the shattered, the shocked, the children and the orphans. That's war. It's horrible.

"There is nothing glorious about war ... I say give peace a chance."

* About 4000 people marched through central Christchurch yesterday to protest at the likely war against Iraq.

Police said the protest, organised by the Peace Action Network, was orderly, with no arrests.

Herald Feature: Iraq