A man of integrity

Michael Wright’s Erebus story ‘Am I Married to a Murderer?’ (TDN and Stuff newspapers, November 9) includes an interview with Mahon’s widow, Margarita, and alleges that the Court of Appeal had ‘‘struck down the most controversial parts of (Justice Peter) Mahon’s report’’.

It ends with a photo of the report with a caption that reads that Mahon’s ‘‘conclusions blaming Air New Zealand were thrown out by the Court of Appeal’’.

These claims, to my understanding, are contrary to the facts.

My late brother, John Macdonald’s role in exposing the cause of the Erebus crash and his coverage of the Royal Commission of Enquiry is well documented in the book A Moral Truth

(Massey University Press, 2017). After the enquiry he co-authored the book Impact Erebus with Gordon Vette, who was an important witness in the enquiry.

Broadcaster Paul Holmes, in his book Daughters of Erebus, told how my brother was one of only two journalists to cover the commission from start to finish and tell of his ‘‘dismay at attempts by some to malign Mahon subsequent to the enquiry’’.

My brother died two years ago, but his lasting respect for the integrity of Justice Mahon prompted me to write this letter.

After he retired, my brother continued writing and in response to a similarly misinformed article pointed out: ‘‘The findings of the New Zealand Supreme Court and the British Privy Council did not fault Justice Mahon’s technical verdict that the airline was to blame. That still stands. Rather they criticised peripheral matters, including Mahon’s ‘litany of lies’ remark and his sleuth-like propensity to seek out information beyond the confines of the court room – perhaps not a good judicial practice, but one that aimed at getting at the truth.’’

Andrew G. Macdonald, New Plymouth