Craig: ‘I’m a pariah’
Colin Craig believes he has been left a social ‘‘pariah’’ after a ‘‘media firestorm’’ destroyed his career after the fallout of the 2014 election.
The former Conservative Party leader made the comments in his closing statements in the trial between himself and his former press secretary Rachel MacGregor.
The two are counter-suing each other at the High Court in Auckland after their relationship soured in 2014, when MacGregor resigned two days before the election.
Craig’s case is based on what he alleges are three separate incidences of defamation against him.
This includes a press release, a tweet and comments made to Taxpayer’s Union member Jordan Williams in which MacGregor detailed the alleged sexual harassment.
Williams later distributed the information that MacGregor had shared with him with others, which, ultimately, led to Craig’s resignation from the Conservative Party.
MacGregor has since responded with a counterclaim alleging Craig defamed her in four separate incidents.
Along with other defences, both sides are pleading the defence of truth.
The trial has aired much of the now well-publicised relationship between the pair. This includes letters and poems that Craig had penned to MacGregor, as well as details of when the pair kissed in 2011.
Craig is representing himself in the trial, and yesterday began his closing arguments.
Looking tired, he said MacGregor’s behaviour had contributed to ‘‘the media firestorm that consumed my career, damaged both my personal and political situation and made me a social pariah’’.
Craig denies MacGregor was sexually harassed, and that she welcomed many of his advances and communications.
Earlier yesterday, MacGregor’s lawyer Hayden Wilson told the court it was obvious his client had been defamed by Craig in four different instances: twice in two press conferences held by Craig; in a booklet titled Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas which was delivered to 1.6 million households; and in a letter to Conservative Party members.
The overall tenor was that MacGregor had been made out to be Craig’s mistress, Wilson said.
Instead, she was the victim of sexual harassment, Wilson told the court.
‘‘The media firestorm ... consumed my career.’’ Colin Craig