TV reporter claims harassment

Press, 4 October 1977, Page 1

TV reporter claims harassment

One of two television reporters interviewed by police about a leaked Government document feels that there was an element of harassment in the police’s 4 a.m. call at his hotel room.

The police are investigating the allegation that two reporters had a secret Government dossier relating to an Auckland businessman, Mr Paul Freeman. Mr Freeman was a central figure in the leaking of the so-called S.I.S. “Think Tank” document in 1975. Mr Murray McLaughlin, of the TVI ‘ Dateline Monday” programme, said last evening that he could not understand why police in Christchurch had been so diligent in their pursuit of him, when Wellington police had been assured hours earlier that the document would be returned through TV2 — the original recipient.

He had made his feelings on this clear to the head of the Christchurch police district. Assistant Commis-

sioner G. Twentyman. Mr McLaughlin said.

The other television reporter questioned by police, Mr Keith Davies of TV2, had been concerned that the police would stop his planned departure to Britain, because of the document, Mr McLaughlin said.

On Thursday evening, the "Dateline Monday” producer, Mr Bill Earl, had been approached by the police and had told them that the document would be returned.

The context of the document did not justify the police reaction, Mr McLaughlin said. "Either they knew of what Mr Earl had said, and were thus indulging in harassment, or they did not know what their counterparts in Wellington had been told eight hours previously, which hardly reflects efficiency.” Mr McLaughlin said he had been told that the Christchurch police had then tracked him through

National Airways Corporation records, and had gone to his hotel at 4 am. They had been trying to find him throughout the night. He had gone to bed about 3.30 a.m. and had been deeply asleep when two policemen came to the door of his hotel room. He had later found that the police attempts to find him on the Thursday evening had been suffiiciently intense for people to remark on it to him the next day, Mr McLaughlin said.

He felt that the intensity of the police activity, and the highly unusual hour they chose to interview him were considerable overreactions in the circumstances, Mr McLaughlin said.

The Cabinet was “very disturbed’*- at the reported leak of a Government document to a television reporter, the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Gordon") said yesterday, the Press Association reported. A report on the leak was

discussed by Ministers yesterday morning. "Cabinet was very disturbed,” Mr Gordon said. The matter was now in police hands and so he had to be careful what he said. “Indications are that at least we have got back the original document,” he said. “We trust it hasn’t been copied too much in the process of being handed round among certain media people.” Asked if it was known who leaked the documents, he replied: “They’ve got good grounds — cause to suspect. We’d better leave it at that.” Mr Gordon said there was no question of national security involved in the leak as far as he knew. But he said there might be an internal inquiry in the State Service to find how a departmental document got out.

The document, from the Department of Trade and Industry,, dealt with recommendations to overseas posts about a New Zealander, Mr Gordon said. The head of news for

TV2, Mr Bruce Crossan, said from Auckland yesterday that two senior detectives interviewed a reporter, Mr Keith Davis, last Thursday. The dossier comprised a copy of telex messages sent to Trade and Industry Department offices around the world.

The messages comment on Freeman and advised staff of the overseas offices on how to deal with him if he sought their help in any of his business transactions.

It is understood a complaint was made to the police after Mr Davis showed the” document to Mr Freeman. Mr Crossan said yesterday that on the face of it, Mr Davis had been in breach of the Official Secrets Act by obtaining the document, and was liable to prosecution. He said Mr Davis had admitted he had been given the document, but would not sav by whom.

'Fhe police file of the incident is expected to be forwarded to the AttorneyGeneral (Mr Wilkinson).