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Home / New Zealand

Former Conservative leader Colin Craig denies plans to sue former press secretary

NZ Herald
8 Jun, 2017 05:32 PM3 mins to read

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Rachel MacGregor does not know former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has filed defamation papers in the High Court against her. Photo / NZME

Rachel MacGregor does not know former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has filed defamation papers in the High Court against her. Photo / NZME

The former leader of the Conservative Party denies he is planning to sue his former press secretary if he loses a defamation case against blogger Whale Oil.

Radio New Zealand has reported Colin Craig is embarking on more court action, filing fresh papers against Rachel MacGregor in the High Court at Auckland alleging she defamed him.

However, Craig is denying the report, saying he has not filed any new proceedings against MacGregor, and isn't considering doing so regardless of the outcome of the case against Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater.

He told the Herald this morning he has asked RNZ where the story came from.

MacGregor's lawyer Hayden Wilson has now weighed on Twitter, demanding that Craig serve papers.

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"Colin, I understand you've filed defamation proceedings against my client. You haven't served them. Pls send immediately," Wilson tweeted.

@ColinCraigNZ Colin, I understand you've filed defamation proceedings against my client. You haven't served them. Pls send immediately

— Hayden Wilson (@haydenwilsonnz) June 8, 2017

Craig said he considered suing MacGregor "historically" and also considered taking cases against all of the media organisations that published the content he has alleged is defamatory.

Instead, he said, he decided to take cases against the three people "who fed the media the defamatory information": Conservative Party board member John Stringer, the head of the Taxpayers' Union Jordan Williams and Slater.

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Craig believes RNZ has looked at this history, and written their story based on a belief this is something he is considering now - which he is not.

RNZ reported that papers have been lodged, and said Craig said the case would only go ahead if he loses the case now before the court.

He's awaiting a reserved decision after he took blogger Cameron Slater to court over posts made about his relationship with MacGregor.

RNZ said MacGregor was not aware of the latest court action.

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

MacGregor wants to 'get on with her life'

12 Jun 04:52 AM

High Court spokeswoman Nana Matenga said general proceedings were lodged last year but haven't been served.

"There are no papers on the file to confirm the defendant has been served."

MacGregor resigned two days before the 2014 election and received an out-of-court settlement after making a sexual harrassment complaint against Craig.

She has since been forced to take the stand in two trials the former Conservative party boss has been involved in since his failed political bid.

Craig is involved in at least five court cases involving defamation and copyright issues.

Jordan Williams says he will do everything he can to support MacGregor, should Craig decide to sue her.

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He's taken his case against Craig to the Court of Appeal, after the judge who presided over it overturned the decision of a jury to award him 1.27 million dollars in damages for defamation.

"We asked the jury to stop this man destroying people's lives, the jury spoke, and clearly believed Rachel and I. The level of damages is now before the Court of Appeal," he said.

"In my opinion Colin Craig is vexatious and if he does sue Rachel, I'll be doing everything I can to support her emotionally and financially."

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