‘Cook Islands News’ Govt-owned, Govt-loyal

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 3

‘Cook Islands News’ Govt-owned, Govt-loyal

Practically every one of 45 issues of the "Cook Islands News” produced as exhibits in the Island’s High Court yesterday had the Premier (Sir Albert Henry) in either a picture, or headline news. Loyalty to the Government” caused the editor of the Government-owned newspaper frequently to portray the Premier on the front page, the Court was told. "I suppose as a public servant I am bound to be loval to the Government I serve,” said the editoi (Mr Teatamira Makirere. His evidence was given in the hearing of petitions' which allege bribers and corruption in the Islands’ General Elections and seek to unseat eight Cook Islands Party members of the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Justice (Mr Justice Donne) also heard Mr Makirere describe the “Ted Libby releases” — news about the Premier from the Premier’s Department — and l was told that these were often published without being checked for accuracy. I Mr Libby, he said, was an officer in the Premier’s Department but he did not know what his actual job Was. “I get releases from him . to go into the press. . . I press statements about the Premier. When I get state-; ments om Ted Libby, I put; them into the press,” said Mr Makirere. Copies of the "Cook Islands News” produced in-

eluded a report from the Premier’s desk alleging that, at the Auckland sitting of the petitions hearing, the> Democratic Party appeared to have no case, and that evidence was weak and unconvincing. Another report quoted the Premier as saying he wasj flying to Auckland, Melbourne and Honolulu on! Cook Islands Party money. The Court had been told earlier that Government; money was used for the trip. I Mr Makirere told the Court that releases from the Premier’s Department usuali\ came from Mr Ted Libby,, an officer in that depart-; ment. These were press statements about th Pre-, mier. Mr Libby might also be the writer who used the pen-name “C.I.N. Freelance Reporter.” Items written by a “Government Observer” mostly came from Mr Libby, but he did not know whether Mr Libby actually wrote them. Mr Makirere said he was not always able to check the] authenticity of the state- ; ments. Mr P. B. Temm, Q.C.,| quoted several items about the Premier which Mr Makirere agreed could have been Ted Libby releases. He referred to one report about e trip by Sir Albert which said that if the Premier could not charter aircraft for voters from New! Zealand he would go on to! see Qantas in Melbourne or| Pan American or Continental; Airlines in Honolulu. • i “I am going strictly on■

Cook Islands Party busii ness,” the report quoted Sir Albert as saying. “The Govjernment is not paying for any part of this trip.” Mr Makirere said he had not questioned Air Hew Zealand to verify that the C.I.P. Under the subheading t “Demos appear to have lost the first. round,” the report commented that only' five I Cook Islanders had appeared at the Auckland sitting of the hearing and the petitions appeared very weak. Although Mr Temm was getting $lOOO a day, said the report, he had listened to ! only two witnesses, and had ' then walked out. Mr Vincent Ingram, a Rarotongan lawyer, had been left to handle the case, “and any sensible ; person can sum up the answer to such actions.” The report also referred to evidence being weak and unconvincing, and said wit-

-;nesses appeared to have ribeen prompted as to what to - say, and had forgotten their • lines. Mr Makirere said he had 1 had made no effort to obtain , a transcript of the Auckland > evidence through the Pretnier's office or the Attor- ’ ney-General. His normal , channel, he said, was Ted ‘ Libby. ; Earlier evidence was given! ' by Teina Manu, a Raroto- ' ngan accountant, who pro- ’ duced three tapes of news about the Auckland hearing 5 broadcast on short wave by ? Radio New Zealand. ’ i He said he had recorded 1 the tapes played to the tjCourt — because of a desire - to know the outcome of the • proceedings in Auckland. ' None of the news had ‘ been repeated on Cook Islands Radio, although New > Zealand news was normally • broadcast regularly by the •1 local station.