Mr McLay releases text of affidavits

Press, 23 March 1985, Page 5

Mr McLay releases text of affidavits

PA Wellington The Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, released yesterday three affidavits which he said supported his allegations that the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Moyle, had tipped the floating of the dollar to a group of farmers. Mr McLay said the affidavits, by the Opposition member of Parliament for Pahiatua, Mr John Falloon; the Opposition spokesman on finance, Mr Bill Birch (Franklin); and a Waipukurau chartered accountant, Mr David Sorenson, “fully justified” the claims made by the Opposition in Parliament. • Mr Sorensen said in his affidavit: I am a Chartered Accountant in public practice in Waipukurau. I am making this sworn statement to record what took place during a conversation between John Falloon, M.P., David Petersen, and myself outside- the St John Association Hall at Waipukurau on the evening of Monday, March 4, as we were waiting for the annual meeting of the Waipukurau branch of the National Party to commence. In the course of the conversation Mr Petersen said he had recently attended a meeting of the executive of Federated Farmers which had also been attended by Mr Moyle. Mr Petersen told us that Mr Moyle had told the meeting that the New Zealand dollar would be floated within two months. I was in no doubt from the comments made by Mr Petersen that Mr Moyle had been specific as to the time within which the float was to take place. Mr Falloon then asked Mr Petersen if he realised how

important his, Mr Petersen’s, coments were. I do not recall his reply. The conversation was terminated by a call to commence the meeting. I have made this statement of my own volition. Mr Birch said in his affidavit: On Wednesday, March 13, I telephoned Stan Phillips, spoke by telephone with E. Garden, and subsequently telephoned B. Anderson, all members of the executive of the meat and wool section of Federated Farmers. Each of those persons referred to told me that they had attended an executive meeting on the February 12 at Wellington attended by the Minister of Agriculture. At that meeting, according to each of those persons individually, the said Minister spoke to the meeting and in particular the subject of a float of the New Zealand dollar was referred to by the Minister. Mr Falloon’s affidavit said: On March 4 I spoke to David Petersen who is known to me personally. Mr Petersen told me during the discussions that on February 12 he had attended a meeting of the executive of the meat and wool section of Federated Farmers held at Wellington. The Minister of Agriculture also attended that same meeting. Mr Petersen further told me of the topics discussed by the meeting and of statements he stated had been made to the meeting by the said Minister. The topics in general concerned variables associated with the removal of S.M.P.S. The statements said to have been made by the Minister to the meeting were, inter alia: (a) That it

was likely that a float would occur prior to the next production season; and (b) That if the dollar moved down as a consequence of the float this would compensate farmers for the removal of S.M.P.s, charging meat inspection fees, increased killing charges, and other cost increases; and (c) That the dollar float could possibly occur in the next two months. I had no reason to doubt the accuracy of the statements made to me by Mr Petersen.

I spoke to Mr Petersen on March 15. He had previously confirmed that the words set forth in paragraph 3 (a), (b), and (c) fairly reflected the statements he had made to me and he confirmed that fact again. He stated, however, that he was now unsure whether the Minister had in fact made the statement set forth in paragraph 3(c) but he confirmed that paragraph 3(a) and 3(b) fairly represented the tenor of the statements made by the Minister to the meeting.