Silence from Carr on Peters legal action
Former Australian politician Bob Carr has yet to make good on a threat of legal action against Winston Peters for allegedly defamatory comments.
A week after Carr, a former Australian foreign minister, had his lawyers send Peters a letter saying he was seeking “immediate commencement” of legal action in New Zealand, the promise of court action remains unfulfilled.
Calls, texts, and emails to Carr and his Australian lawyer this past week have not been returned. The Auckland and Wellington High Courts have not responded to inquiries about Carr filing legal proceedings. And Peters has yet to be served.
“Isn't it marvellous? Look at the headlines you made with Chumbawamba, nobody's ever replied to me on that. And on this matter, no,” Peters told reporters on Thursday, referring to a prior legal threat he received from a British band over use of their hit Tubthumping.
Peters last week sparked Carr’s ire when, during a radio broadcast, he attacked the former Australian foreign minister for his criticism of New Zealand’s interest in the contentious Aukus defence pact.
After an initial threat of legal action, Peters refused to back down from the claims he made about Carr, including under questioning by the Labour Party in the House.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins called for Peters to be removed as foreign minister for the affray, but Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has stood by his deputy prime minister. “They’re not comments I would make. I’m sure Bob Carr as a seasoned politician would understand the rough and tumble of politics,” Luxon said.
Carr, a former Australian Labor politician, visited Wellington in April to speak at an anti-aukus event held by the New Zealand Labour Party.
At the event, he called the Aukus defence pact “fragrant, methane-wrapped bullshit”.
The pact between Australia, United Kingdom, and United States – which will have Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines in the coming decades – and the New Zealand Government continues to “explore” participation in aspects of the agreement that involve sharing cutting-edge military technologies.