Mrs Kerens denies being ‘shocked’

Press, 11 February 1983, Page 2

Mrs Kerens denies being ‘shocked’

Parliamentary reporter Mrs Ann Hercus (LabLyttelton) has made a scathing attack from London on the coverage by sections of the New Zealand news media of her defeat in the Labour caucus election for the party's deputy leadership. She is overseas on a sixweek tour studying prices and incomes policies. Mrs Hercus left on the trip the morning after the caucus vote, of which she dropped out after the first ballot. She said from London that her defeat had merely caused her to reactivate a trip that had previously been postponed. Her complaint is of the caption underneath a photograph taken of her in the company of the former leader, Mr W. E. Rowling, and the party's president, Mr J. P. Anderton. This was published in several newspapers, including “The Press" (February 4) accompanied by descriptions of her as "upset," “clearlyshattered," and "visibly shocked." Mrs Hercus said the description of where the photograph had been taken and her condition were completely inaccurate. Those newspapers that had carried the photograph had described it as being taken after the vote, but it had been taken before, she said. The photograph had been taken while she had been concentrating on pouring a cup of coffee for a colleague — hence the rather "off" expression on her face. Mrs Hercus said she had not been shocked by her defeat because she had known 24 hours before the vote that she no longer had the support to get past the first ballot. Once the vote had been taken, she had refused to discuss caucus business with journalists but had later issued a press statement. She had been too busy setting up her trip, clearing her desk before leaving, saying goodbye to members of her family, and thanking supporters and friends, to give any more attention to the news media.

The reports and photograph, with its caption, of her were utter nonsense and “insultingly inaccurate," Mrs Hercus said. Footnote: "The Press" learned yesterday that the caption supplied with the phqtograph from Wellington was incorrect, and that the photograph was in fact taken before the Labour caucus meeting. The error is regretted.