Whom to believe
September 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am by David FarrarIn the Sunday News we read:
A TVNZ in-house legal adviser helped shape the confidentiality agreement between Tony Veitch and ex-girlfriend Kristin Dunne-Powell over what was later publicly revealed as a domestic violence incident, a source close to the case has revealed.
When the scandal broke in July last year, TVNZ said they told Veitch it was a private matter for him and they would help him fi nd his own lawyer.
But Sunday News has been told the state-owned network’s legal adviser Helen Wild was involved in framing the agreement “on behalf of TVNZ’’, working alongside Veitch’s lawyers to “finalise the best possible terms for Tony’’.
The source said Wild met the then-sports presenter’s lawyers Richard Burrell and Willie Akel in the days leading up to the signing of Veitch’s $150,000 payout, and offered them written advice on the agreement’s wording.
Yet in the Herald on Sunday we read:
TVNZ is fuming over reports questioning some of its executives’ roles in the Tony Veitch saga and has reiterated its full confidence in them and chief executive Rick Ellis.
A report in another publication this week raised allegations that suggested TVNZ executives may have originally been more fully aware of the Veitch assault allegations than publicly acknowledged.
This included an allegation that Veitch signed the Kristin Dunne-Powell confidentiality agreement in a second-floor TVNZ office – well before the case ever became public – and that this took place in front of company representatives.
Last night TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said the confidentiality agreement was not signed in the TVNZ lawyer’s second-floor office. “Nobody at TVNZ had any part in the negotiations concerning the confidentiality agreement.”
So how do you reconcile that? Let’s go back to the Sunday News article:
TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said yesterday: “Nobody at TVNZ was involved in any of the negotiations between them (Veitch and Dunne-Powell).
“The only statements we made at the time remain true, accurate and very careful statements of TVNZ’s understanding at the time.”
My reading of this is TVNZ is using near Clintonian definitions to cover up. They are interpreting negotiations as being only between Veitch and Dunne-Powell’s teams.
But if a TVNZ lawyer was sitting in the back room advising the Veitch team as to what to agree to, then that means they are effectively part of the negotiations – just behind the scenes.
TVNZ’s denial is missing the point. The public don’t care about the difference between advising the negotiating team and being part of it. The core issue is were TVNZ staff involved in the confidentially agreement in any way, despite the public statements it was a private matter for Veitch and did not involve his employer.
Tags: Herald on Sunday, Sunday News, Tony Veitch, TVNZ
September 20th, 2009 at 9:12 am
The public don’t care.
Vote:Yep that’s right.
Like Helen we have moved on.
September 20th, 2009 at 9:23 am
If the in house legal adviser had any input between Veitch and his ex then management WAS involved and knew. Heads will roll over this but how far??
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Who the hell cares. we are so over this crap. All except KDP who has had her pound of flesh.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 9:36 am
We are over Veitch to be sure. BUT we are not over TVNZ on what they knew and when they knew it. Veitch was a valuable product for them and they may have moved to protect that product including misleading the public.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Who really cares about TVNZ’s sweating behind the scenes? There is only one person who needs to front up to the accusations; Tony Veitch. And last I heard that has now been dealt with. Is Kiwiblog going tabloid?
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 9:38 am
I think it is a good idea that this subject raises its ugly head every six months or so, we ned to be reminded what an obnoxious, self centred little prick he is, if nothing else it slows down the return of Vietch to our screens and airwaves.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 9:55 am
This could be a good way to get rid of Labour’s appointees on the TVNZ Board though.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am
I disagree that we “are over it”. This issue has nothing to do with Veitch, but everything about the moral authority and ethics of TVNZ, a state owned news broadcaster. If there is any way in which TVNZ management was aware of, or had been instrumental in, a private confidentiality agreement that had the aim of concealing a criminal offence involving domestic violence, by one of its showcase employees, then heads should roll.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 11:01 am
dimmocrazy you are absolutely correct. Time will tell whether the “cover up” of a criminal offence needs to involve a separate criminal inquiry and if so that could have serious consequences for those involved.
Vote:September 20th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Veitch is a failure, first he shows how brave he is by giving his woman the bash, a real man, = fail, then he tries to buy his way out = fail, then he tries to weasel his way out = fail, then he tries to top himself again a fail.
Vote:What a failure, move along please, nothing see here, .
You would have to subscribe to the tooth fairy, santa, and the easter bunny to think TVNZ wasn’t completely involved in this from day one, sadly they’ve been caught
September 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
The tooth Fairy is real, works in Te Puke Tooth Fairy Dental, Easter Bunny’s around cuase I see him from time to time and Santa well we all know he visits at Xmas.
Vote:Who cares about TVNZ. Sell the fucking place and stop it being a mouthpiece for the Socialists. at least a taxpayer paid for one.
September 20th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I certainly don’t disagree but unfortunately it has raised a previously pretty much unknown female version into the limelight, a consequence I could have done without.
Vote:September 21st, 2009 at 8:02 am
- if nothing else it slows down the return of Vietch to our screens and airwaves.
Too late, he’s been back on telly for a while now. Saw him last week gnashing hs teeth over the performance of the ABs.
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