Reiter: ‘Call me doctor’

DISGRACED former Liberal candidate Kurt Reiter insisted he should be referred to as a doctor in a bizarre appearance at the Geelong Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Mr Reiter, 43, of Sheepwash Rd, Barwon Heads, detailed his estrangement from his mother and sister in a courtroom monologue where he said he was “highly educated in law”.

The former businessman represented himself on three charges of forgery of a signature and three charges of making a false document.

Mr Reiter told the court his mother and sister had agreed to come to his aid by signing forms related to assisting with his significant debts.

He claimed their support would save him from being declared bankrupt and that he had a “lovely chat” with his mother around the time of her birthday in January regarding the forms.

Mr Reiter said he had signed documents on behalf of his mother and sister but claimed they later changed their minds to support him. He said he was “aggrieved” that his own family had forced him to become a bankrupt.

When Magistrate Jan Maclean addressed the former political aspirant as “Mr Reiter”, he requested that he be referred to as “Dr Reiter” and also said he had two law degrees but was not “certified as a lawyer”.

The magistrate cut Mr Reiter’s monologue short and when he requested he continue to speak Ms Mclean replied no and added, “I didn’t mean to be curt, no pun intended.” The matter was adjourned for a plea hearing on September 27.

Mr Reiter was the Liberal Party’s Bellarine candidate at the 2010 state election against Brumby government minister Lisa Neville and came close to winning the marginal constituency. He also stood as a contender for Senate pre-selection earlier this year ahead of the federal election.