Morgan accuses Labour of bugging television offices

By Andrew Laxon and NZPA

Tukoroirangi Morgan used parliamentary privilege yesterday to allege a Labour Party conspiracy involving a bogus tape and secret bugging of Aotearoa Television offices two years ago.

However, the Mauri Pacific MP's claims were not supported by the police and were strongly denied by the people he accused - Labour MP Trevor Mallard, Labour leader Helen Clark, and a Juice music television videotape editor, Jef Grobben.

Mr Morgan claimed in Parliament that a tape of a conversation between Aotearoa's operations manager, Eric McPhee, and director Morehu McDonald, tabled by Mr Mallard in Parliament two years ago, was a fake.

Police testing showed the tape had been created by splicing from other tapes.

"It was a concoction ... to try to demonise me as a member of Parliament, to try to minimise me as a Maori member of this House.

"I have evidence from interviews from the man who Jef Grobben confided in, that he drilled holes in the roof of 64 Parnell Rd, the offices of Aotearoa Television, and then proceeded to bug the offices."

Mr Morgan refused to produce any evidence but said he would release affidavits supporting his allegations soon.

Later, Mr Mallard replied: "I want to absolutely deny in this House that I have been involved in the conspiracy that has been alleged."

He refused to make any further comment afterwards, saying the matter was before the courts.

In 1997, Mr Mallard used the tape to support his claims that Mr Morgan had shares in Aotearoa Television when his brother-in-law, Tau Henare, was voting in cabinet for the company to be given more state funding.

Mr Morgan has sued Mr Mallard over comments he made at the time.

Mr Grobben denied bugging the TV offices and splicing the tape, which Mr Mallard tabled in Parliament.

He said he had drilled a hole in the studio roof to run a cable into the studio below as part of his job.

Police supported Mr Grobben's claims that he was not at the centre of their investigation.