1 March 2016

Key must apologise to the Jon Stephenson

The Green Party is calling on John Key to apologise to Jon Stephenson for attacking his credibility over his defamation case against the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The Prime Minister yesterday reiterated that he stands by his statement from 2011 that Jon Stephenson was not credible over his reporting on the SAS’s activities in Afghanistan. Both the NZDF and the Prime Minister attacked Mr Stephenson’s credibility following the publication of his article. However, since then, the NZDF has expressed “regret” over its attack and made an out-court-settlement with Mr Stephenson. The Prime Minister refuses to do the same.

“John Key needs to apologise to Jon Stephenson for attacking his credibility,” said Green Party defence spokesperson Dr Kennedy Graham.

“The Defence Force admitted they were wrong and an out of court settlement was made. Yet John Key continues to stand by his statement that Mr Stephenson is not a credible person without actually saying why.

“John Key is now at odds with the Defence Force and his own Defence Minister who himself finds the whole debacle ‘unsatisfactory’.

“It seems typical of the National Government to attack journalists or academics who disagree with their policies. That’s not what you do in a healthy democracy. They should feel free to rebut the criticism but not attack the person.

“Time and time again, with people like Nicky Hager and Mike Joy, if you say the National Government or John Key is wrong, you become a personal target.

“Attacking the person is discouraged in ethics and civics classes for schoolchildren. John Key could take note,” said Dr Graham.

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