Colin Craig arrives at Auckland High Court on the second day of trial. Video by Brett Phibbs
Colin Craig sits silently, making notes and using a blue highlighter to mark his paper.
Rachel MacGregor sits in the back of the courtroom in a bright green dress, surrounded by her family, friends and supporters.
Her lawyer, Hayden Wilson, makes his final arguments to Justice Anne Hinton and is under the gaze of a television camera.
Wilson remains surrounded by bundles of printed paper, reading from his lecturn and methodically ticking a list as he makes his way through his submissions.
But the outcome may not be known for some time, with Justice Hinton expected to reserve her decision.
Rachel MacGregor, now a public affairs manager, says Craig defamed her by alleging she made false claims of sexual harassment. Photo / Brett Phibbs
When Craig began his closing this afternoon, the judge said: "You win the prize for the most pages, Mr Craig."
"I was not seeking to do that, your honour," he replied.
Wilson and Linda Clark, MacGregor's counsel, claim their client was defamed four times by her former boss.
Twice in two press conferences held by Craig, in a booklet titled Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas which was delivered to 1.6 million Kiwi households, and in a letter to Conservative Party members.
The pamphlet, Wilson said, was sent to every New Zealand home which doesn't have a junk mail sign on its letterbox.
Craig hired MacGregor as his press secretary in 2011, before, as Wilson submitted, he made serious allegations of MacGregor being a liar, making up claims of sexual harassment and being unable to manage her money.
"Mr Craig has the burden of proving that Miss MacGregor wasn't sexually harassed," Wilson said.
The 50-year-old property manager, who initially filed defamation proceedings against MacGregor in later 2016, argues she defamed him first on three occasions.
Firstly by what MacGregor told New Zealand Taxpayers' Union founder Jordan Williams, then in a media release by MacGregor in June 2015, and also in a tweet on the same day.
The two-week trial, which began last week, stems from before election night 2011.
Craig's friendship with MacGregor quickly developed.
He and his wife Helen, who gave evidence during the trial, shared Christmas with the former TVNZ journalist and celebrated her birthday.
Colin Craig and his wife Helen, who gave evidence during the trial. Photo / Nick Reed
However, just two days before the 2014 election MacGregor spectacularly quit as press secretary and later filed a sexual harassment complaint against Craig.
It was also later revealed Craig had kissed MacGregor on election night 2011 and touched her breasts.
A confidential settlement between Craig and MacGregor was reached in May 2015.
But details of it were leaked.
In 2016, Craig was ordered to pay MacGregor more than $120,000 by the Human Rights Review Tribunal after it ruled he breached the agreement in media interviews.
Craig is no stranger to defamation proceedings and has separate claims against who he calls the trio of "schemers" who plotted against him - Williams, Conservative Party board member John Stringer, and Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater.
