The Sunday Star Times is a paper that is not averse to campaigning against people to (a) push their “progressive” (ie. feudal — what our owners want) agenda and (b) to increase circulation by pandering to the prurient gossip in all of us.
Now Mrs Hotchin was shown in that paper sunning herself somewhere tropical and saying “she deserved it” despite her husband being bankrupt. I was not there. Mrs Hotchin has shown Brian Edwards four affidavits stating that what was reported was incorrect. Edwards blogged on this. Then the SST decides only they can play — and lawyer up.
I have received a menacing email from a Ms Sarah Bacon, a partner in the law firm Izard Weston. The firm acts for Fairfax New Zealand Limited, publisher of the Sunday Star Times.The email refers to my recent post The Hotchin Affidavits – Four witnesses swear that Amanda Hotchin did not speak the damaging words attributed to her by the Sunday Star Times.Paragraph 9 of Ms Bacon’s email reads: “Your blog and the comments that follow defame our client, the Editor of the Sunday Star Times and Mr Marshall. Our client will not tolerate these false and defamatory publications. Our client expects you to immediately remove the defamatory material from your website along with any cached material and to ensure that no further defamatory postings are published.”Paragraph 10 reads: “We also put you on notice that our client will be minded to take action against you if you draw any adverse inference from the fact that our client is unwilling and unable to engage with you on this issue in a public forum.”
via Brian Edwards Media.
They marked it not for publication. Well, if you send a writ, it is public. It could eventually end up in court. Dr Edwards can do what he likes with the letter.
Although I tend generally disagree with him, like Cactus Kate, Whale Oil, The Penguin and Home Paddock I am siding with him. We should not be intimidated by lawyers. We should not accede to any request to censor our speech.
And… I do not understand how the SST says they are “unwilling and unable to engage with you in a public forum”. They run a newspaper. They publish opinion columns. They are part of the public forum.
The SST has a de facto monopoly in the South Island as the Herald on Sunday is not sold here. I don’t support bullying, so that is more money for Sunday Coffee 