Tom Scott’s remark angers P.M.

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 2

Tom Scott’s remark angers P.M.

PA . Wellington ■ The “insulting” remark, i the “Listener” columnist,: [Tom Scott, made to the [-Prime Minister on Monday: ihad been taken up with his! iemployer, said Mr Muldoon: [yesterday. . . ! Mr Scott was evicted from Mr Muldoon's press conference on Monday afternoon [and as he left, asked whether the action was an i example of Mr Muldoon’s [having “turned over a new' leaf!”

Later, Mr Muldoon called Mr Alastair Carthew, chairman of the Parliamentary Press Gallen’ (the association of Parliamentary journalists), complainting about the remark and asking the gallery to take the matter up.

But after canvassing members, Mr Carthew sent a let-[ ter to Mr Muldoon advising that if he had any complaint about questions or statements made at his press conferences, he should take it up either with the journalist concerned, or with the journalist’s employer. Yesterday, in response to that letter, Mr Muldoon said he “regretted that the Parliamentary- Press Gallery has apparently supported a standard of behaviour of one of its members which has never before been experienced during my / 20 yeafon Parliament.”. " “I -Would have, expected the Parliamentary Press Gallery to have more regard for the reputation of its organisation,” he said. , “I have taken up the question of Mr Scott’s behaviour with his employer,”'he said. Mr Scott was evicted soon after the - news conference began. Mr Muldoon spotted Mr Scott, who has lately been Banned from attending the regular conferences on the-ground that he is accredited to the gallery as a ’’weekly” journalist. The hews conferences are for 'daily :. journalists although those who work for weekly publications are allowed to sit in with the Prime Minister’s permission, provided they , do not ask questions. ./The pair have had a longruriping feud which culminated in Mr Muldoon’s un-

successful attempt to have Mr Scott banned from the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Delhi last month.

‘ Later during Monday’s press conference. Mr Muldoon asserted that Mr Scott had "deliberately and pro-, [vocatively challenged” him! [in a “somewhat insulting way.”

He said also that Mr Scott had made an issue in the [“Listener” of not being allowed to attend the news conferences. Mr Muldoon, at the time of the row over Mr[ Scott's accreditation for the Delhi conference, claimed Mr Scott wrote “garbage.”! Although he was accredited to the conference. Mr Scott iwas not included in the i Prime Minister’s official party as other news media representatives were. The incident was later held up as an example of the type of clash which had contributed to National’s defeat in September’s East Coast Bays by-election. After Monday’s row, Mr Scott told NZPA he had gone to the news conference because he was anxious to know about the .leadership issue. ■

“I think it is an issue the ‘Listener’ is entitled to be present to hear,” he said.

The editor of the “Listener,” Mr Peter Stewart, late yesterday morning said he had heard nothing from Mr Muldoon about the conduct of Mr Scott.; , • ’ “At the moment I know of no-one in the (Broadcasting) Corporation' who has received a complaint,” he told NZPA.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office said later that Mr Muldoon had written to the chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation (Mr lan Cross). The Junior Opposition Whip (Mr S. J. Rodger) yesterday called on Mr Muldoon to desist from barinirig Mr Scott from his news conferences.

In a notice of motion in Parliament, Mr Rodger urged Mr . Muldoon to change his approach to Mr . Scott “and thereby assist in avoiding being seen by many people as petulant and ridiculous.