Immigration undecided on 'pro-Nazi' Irving

By ANNE BESTON

Historian David Irving is among a group of people now banned from entering New Zealand, but a final decision on his September visit has not been made.

Mr Irving, labelled by a British judge as pro-Nazi, anti-semitic and a Holocaust denier, plans to speak at Wellington's National Press Club during a two-week visit in September.

Jewish organisations have demanded he be refused entry into New Zealand.

Immigration Service spokeswoman Kathryn O'Sullivan said inquiries were being made internationally about Mr Irving and a final decision on whether he came here would be made "in the next few weeks".

"He is a person who has been prohibited from entering or been deported from other countries and we have a right to be concerned about that."

Mr Irving is banned from entering Australia, a decision he has twice challenged in the courts. He said there were no "legal reasons" he could not come to New Zealand.

National Press Club president Peter Isaac said a meeting of the 600-member club would be held to "review the matter" of Mr Irving's planned address.

He would not express a personal opinion on whether Mr Irving should appear.

"The National Press Club cannot deny a platform to somebody because they are controversial and because a large number of the population may believe that they are lying and/or deluded," he said.

Mr Isaac said he could not remember anyone being banned from speaking at the club, whose members range from broadcasters to business people and public relations staff.

In March this year American soul legend James Brown was granted a special visa for a show in Auckland despite a string of convictions which would normally have barred him from performing.

If Mr Irving was travelling on a British passport, he would not necessarily need a visa to enter New Zealand under a "visa waiver" agreement between the two countries. But the Immigration Service is likely to require him to apply for a visa and could then refuse to issue one.

The 66-year-old British historian has visited New Zealand twice, in 1986 and 1987. He is inviting supporters in Australia to fly across the Tasman to hear him speak.