MEDIA RELEASE - 1 November 2004
Bruce Stuart-Menteath
NICK SMITH ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE CONSERVATIONIST
The Nelson MP, Nick Smith, has applied for an interim injunction to prevent Christchurch conservationist, and chairman
of North Canterbury Forest and Bird, Bruce Stuart-Menteath, from publicising matters concerning a recent defamation
settlement. Smith claims that Stuart-Menteath has breached the terms of the settlement, an allegation he strongly
denies.
"My comments have merely publicised the fact that I had been trying for 3 years to get an apology from Smith for making
patently false and offensive allegations about me and my 1998 Environment Court appeal, concerning a new hotel at
Punakaiki, during his fronting of the National Party's 'Fixing the RMA campaign, and that the settlement was an
exoneration of my conduct'."
Smith's allegations included that Stuart-Menteath's appeal was vexatious and an abuse of process; that he had a
"pathological" dislike of tourists (Stuart-Menteath was an eco tour operator who had won national and international
awards); that he was a "dope smoking unemployed local" and that he had delayed the project by three years; cost the
developer $1 million; and denied 20 people their jobs.
Despite there being ample evidence that Smith's allegations were not only false, but that he knew that they were false,
he has refused to retract or apologise, and since the settlement has continued to make public statements that he stands
by them.
Stuart-Menteath has dedicated a chapter of his recent book, A Hostile Environment - A Case Study of the Harassment of
Conservationists on the West Coast of NZ, to Smith's outrageous conduct as an example of how politicians can promote
community discord while they further their political ambitions.
The application for interim injunction will be heard in Christchurch District Court (Court 4) tomorrow [Nov. 2] at 10
am.
"This is a very disturbing development. Do we have a democracy in New Zealand whereby politicians can be held
accountable for telling untruths in order to achieve their ideological gains, or must we bend to the 'Nick Smith's' of
the day as they abuse and threaten members of the public for daring to expose their shortcomings?"
ENDS