Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

2 February 2018

First Round in Legal Proceedings to Enforce Peters’ Privacy Rights Goes to Peters

In a free society there are no more fundamental elements than an individual’s freedom of speech, their right to privacy, and for the Fourth Estate to operate freely. However, those freedoms are not unfettered. They come with responsibilities. One cannot needlessly yell fire in a crowded picture theatre, breach another’s privacy, or be at liberty to print untruths. When one or all of these pillars crumble, and as was said a long time ago, it behoves every person who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist the invasion of it by others.

With that in mind, legal proceedings in the privacy rights breach of New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’ superannuation details have advanced. Having provided the information required by Mr Peters’ legal team, the application for preproceeding discovery against the two media intended defendants has been amicably resolved. Mr. Peters confirmed, “Previous media speculation surrounding this application has always been misplaced. No attempt to breach journalistic privilege was ever made, but there was a wide range of information available about the misbehaviour of the perpetrators that I, as the plaintiff, was entitled to seek, and now have.”

Mr. Peters confirmed that the case against six National Party intended defendants has successfully finished the first phase and will shortly move into the second phase: “They have unwittingly provided on oath information beyond what I was entitled to receive from the documents, which also provides enough information to formulate proceedings against those involved in the privacy breach.”

ENDS

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