Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

SUNDAY STAR TIMES : Tamihere slammed over Nazi comments

TV3 is considering legal action against MP John Tamihere and the Labour Party over an attack by Tamihere on Labour's website likening TV3 head of news Mark Jennings and reporter Duncan Garner to Nazis.

Garner and TV3 broke the story of Tamihere's acceptance of a golden handshake and financial improprieties at the Waipareira Trust that led to Tamihere resigning as a minister last year.

In his weblog on the Labour Party website, Tamihere accused Garner and Jennings of telling lies and broadcasting allegations they knew to be untrue, and likened them to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Helen Clark said she was aware of the weblog, but did not intend to have it removed. An hour after this comment yesterday afternoon, Tamihere's blog was pulled from the website.

As the 'publisher' of the weblog, the Labour Party is potentially liable if legal action is taken.

Jennings said the comments appeared to be strongly defamatory. TV3 would seek discussion about Tamihere's comments with Labour tomorrow, and was considering legal action.

'I think John has lost the plot a bit - it's time he regained the plot and settled down,' Jennings said.

'Normally we would be very reluctant to pursue legal action, but this is just getting silly, and if he doesn't stop we are going to have to do something about it.'

The weblog comments follow an attack by Tamihere last week in which he claimed improper conduct by Garner in reporting his dealings at Waipareira. Tamihere did not return calls."

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