Lawyers lodge complaints about M.P.’s statement

Press, 25 July 1985, Page 39

Lawyers lodge complaints about M.P.’s statement

PA Tauranga Two Tauranga lawyers have lodged complaints with the Auckland Law Society about statements by the National member of Parliament for Tauranga, Mr Winston Peters, on Mr Justice Casey’s interim injunction ruling on the All Black tour of South Africa. The society's executive director, Mr Graham Wear, said in Auckland that he had received many complaints about the statements, made under Parliamentary privilege. Mr Wear would not disclose the names of the Tauranga lawyers who had joined other lawyers to complain about Mr Peters, a lawyer himself. The society had yet to decide what it would do about the statements. Mr Wear said the society

would write to Mr Peters expressing great concern and would also write to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, saying it was sorry he did not disown or reprimand Mr Peters. The Tauranga representative for the society, Mr Bruce d’Young, said yesterday that he and many other Tauranga lawyers believed Mr Peters’ actions were deplorable. Mr d’Young said he was passing on complaints to the society’s Auckland headquarters. He declined to name lawyers who were complaining. "But it is fair to say I have spoken to a number of lawyers who have deplored the statements,” said Mr d’Young. ”It is not acceptable to hide behind the pretence of reporting allegations: he should have said them himself.”