Love knighthood a quandary for PM
Prime Minister Bill English is considering the best way forward in dealing with the ‘‘serious matter’’ of Sir Ngatata Love’s knighthood.
English said yesterday he had asked the Cabinet Office for advice on the next steps in considering the question of Love’s knighthood.
The disgraced Maori leader, who is serving a 2.5-year prison sentence, was convicted in September of obtaining property by deception.
In May, the Court of Appeal rejected an appeal of his conviction and sentence.
This followed Love being denied bail in November after High Court Justice Graham Lang said that he saw no sign of remorse from Love, despite acknowledging he suffered from a serious heart condition, diabetes and dementia.
The 79-year-old, knighted in 2009 for services to Maori, had until yesterday to appeal to the Supreme Court but his lawyer, Jonathan Krebs, said he had received no such instructions.
Love could still ask to file out of time.
English said yesterday the question of Love’s knighthood was ‘‘a serious matter’’.
‘‘Given its significance, it’s important to follow a proper process … Once I’ve had an opportunity to consider that advice, I’ll make a decision as to how to proceed.’’
In September last year, a spokesman for then prime minister Sir John Key said the issue of Love’s knighthood would not be considered until his avenues for appeal had been exhausted.
Previously, Key faced calls to strip former justice minister and chairman of Lombard Finance Sir Douglas Graham of his honour, but chose not to do so.
Part of the reason was that while Graham was knighted for his work on Treaty settlements, his conviction was for breaching his duties as a Lombard director.
Love was charged in relation to a $1.5 million payment made from developers wanting to build on land administered by a Maori trust. The money was eventually used to repay a mortgage on a home Love and then-partner Lorraine Skiffington bought together.