MEDIA RELEASE
December 19 2001

Council Welcomes Finality In Chisholm Case

The Auckland City Council has welcomed the decision of the High Court which has ruled against all four claims against it by Waiheke Island property developer Adrian Chisholm.

Mr Chisholm brought actions against the council claiming misfeasance (abuse of power), negligence, and claims under the Bill of Rights and the Fair Trading Act.

He claimed that the council thwarted his efforts to build a multi-million dollar resort on Waiheke Island, when it intended to dump septage (accumulated material from septic tanks which has to be disposed of) on the golf course adjoining the property Mr Chisholm was going to develop.

Mr Chisholm claimed his resort project became untenable and the council had caused the downfall of his project which could not be revived. In his decision, Mr Justice Chambers ruled against all four of Mr Chisholm’s claims.

The deputy mayor, David Hay, said the decision brought to an end a long and sorry saga for both Mr Chisholm and the council.

“Hopefully we can now put this unfortunate case behind us,” said Mr Hay.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>