Passions boil over at press conference

Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper (standing centre) was one of the journalists involved in a heated exchange with Mr Peters. Picture / Reuters

The warm glow of last week's meeting between Foreign Minister Winston Peters and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice turned to ashes yesterday as Mr Peters' icy relationship with the media took centre stage.

A press conference, ostensibly called to focus on the positives of his US trip, descended into an extraordinary slanging match between Mr Peters and journalists.

As a result Mr Peters postponed his flight to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Malaysia so he could appear on TVNZ's Close Up programme last night to once more argue his case.

At the Prime Minister's weekly post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, minutes before Mr Peters' press conference, Helen Clark tried to downplay the dispute between Mr Peters and the media as a simple misunderstanding.

"I think that taking a press secretary in future to help smooth those relationships so there aren't misunderstandings would be a good idea," she said.

But her attempts to smother the story were in vain when soon afterwards Mr Peters stoked up his long-running battle with the media.

He accused TVNZ of lying to the public and other journalists of perverting the truth and deliberately spreading disinformation.

"It wasn't about the New Zealand media," Mr Peters said, referring to last week's press conference in Washington involving Senator John McCain.

"This is about foreign policy and a better relationship with the United States. That is the only issue I am concerned for the New Zealand people to understand, not how a few journalists might have got their noses out of joint."

Mr Peters also seemed to reject Helen Clark's suggestion that he take a press officer with him on overseas trips.

"I am not going to expand the cost when it is not required. All it requires, of course, is a bit of old-fashioned media professionalism and courtesy," he said.

An apparent misunderstanding between Mr Peters and media covering his Washington visit saw Mr Peters interrupt Mr McCain and end a press conference journalists say was organised by Mr McCain's staff.

He later put out a press statement calling journalists' behaviour "the most embarrassing, arrogant and insulting behaviour I have ever seen".

By contrast, Mr Peters' meeting the next day with Dr Rice has been regarded as a success.

Helen Clark hailed Dr Rice's statement that she wanted the US-New Zealand relationship to move forward as a very important development.

The Herald understands there is considerable frustration within New Zealand First about Mr Peters' reliance on his chief of staff, Graham Harding, who accompanies Mr Peters on overseas trips instead of his new press secretary, James Funnell, who formerly did the job for Mr Goff.

Several party sources say since Mr Harding became Mr Peters' primary adviser more than a year ago, relations with the press have declined markedly.

They say Mr Harding, who does not have a professional media background, has a similar temperament to Mr Peters and eggs him on instead of giving him considered advice.

- Additional reporting: Ruth Berry

FOREIGN BODIES: THE SOUNDBITES

Seconds out. Winston Peters goes head-to-head with some old sparring partners.

Winston Peters: "You've told the country a tissue of lies. I'm here to tell the truth."

"If you want an answer you'll get an answer and you won't get what you have put out by way of a perversion."

"[I gave my schedule] To all the media who were present in Washington."

TVNZ political editor Guyon Espiner: "Mr Peters, your adviser couldn't even tell us where those meetings were."

Peters: "Well, I'm sorry but if you don't know where Congress is or where the State Department is or where the Senate is I can't help you. You're meant to be an experienced journalist. If you don't know where the State Department is, it's a bit difficult for me to start giving you a map."

Peters: "Barry [Soper, Newstalk ZB political editor], I've heard you gurgle on for days in the media. You just happen to be telling lies ... If you think I'm not telling the truth, sue me."

Soper: "I do think you're not telling the truth Mr Peters."

Peters: "Well, do go out and sue me then."

TVNZ reporter Francesca Mold: "Are you saying that TVNZ has lied about what happened in the US?"

Peters: "Yes they have."

Mold: "In what way? Can you tell how we've lied?"

Peters: "What you've done, you've manipulated the tape that you have shown to ensure that the public has not got a full picture."

Peters: "I don't feel embarrassed at all because I was there and I sought to ensure that this was not going to happen to a very senior person who may well be the next US President. I don't regret what I did at all. I regret your arrogance."