Ardern gears up to fight tractor charge

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

National MP Shane Ardern expects to plead not guilty when he appears in the Wellington District Court on Friday week charged with disorderly behaviour.

Mr Ardern drove a tractor up Parliament's steps during a noisy protest over the flatulence tax 10 days ago.

Police gave him a summons at his Taranaki farm yesterday.

"I'm not guilty. That's it, end of subject," the Taranaki-King Country MP said after taking the summons.

"If an elected MP can't demonstrate against something as ridiculous as taxing flatulence on the main steps of Parliament, then who can?"

The stunt earned a telling-off from Speaker Jonathan Hunt, who in turn has been targeted by Opposition MPs alleging bias.

National has been on the attack since learning last week that Mr Ardern would be charged, pointing out that Prime Minister Helen Clark was not charged with forgery over the "Paintergate" affair.

By the weekend National had turned its sights on the Wellington police area controller, Inspector Marty Grenfell, who announced Mr Ardern's charge.

National MP Murray McCully attacked Mr Grenfell's service in Police Minister George Hawkins' office before the election, where he liaised between police and Helen Clark's office over the Paintergate probe.

Helen Clark told the post-Cabinet press conference yesterday that the attack on Mr Hunt had to be seen in context - from Opposition MPs who, having failed with political attacks, were now turning to those who could not defend themselves.

"That's not only the Speaker, it includes the Chief Justice, senior public servants, the New Zealand police and so on.

"I do think before people make those attacks they need to think about constitutional conventions, which are that some institutions are there to be neutral, play a certain role and really should not be at the centre of political debate," she said.

Mr Ardern said his legal advice was he should vigorously defend himself. He refused to name his lawyer other than to say he was a senior Wellington criminal lawyer.