By John Armstrong and Theresa Garner
Prime Minister Jenny Shipley last night apologised to former newsreader John Hawkesby for wrongly claiming that Television New Zealand had paid him a $1 million exit settlement.
After hearing the statement, Hawkesby questioned its sincerity. "I'm not sure that amounts to an apology," he said, but "if that's as close as the Prime Minister comes to an apology then I'm prepared to accept it."
Mrs Shipley's embarrassing backdown followed talks between her staff and Hawkesby's lawyers and, it is understood, was prompted by both the possibility of legal action and the need to stem the political damage flowing from her blunder.
Mrs Shipley quickly admitted yesterday that she had been mistaken in alleging on TV One's Crossfire programme that Hawkesby had been paid to "walk away" from TVNZ. But she then spent much of the day standing her ground by pointing to reports that Hawkesby had wanted $2 million.
She challenged him and TVNZ to release the range of figures under discussion.
In Parliament, Labour leader Helen Clark challenged Deputy Prime Minister Wyatt Creech about comments by Mrs Shipley's chief press secretary, John Goulter, that the Prime Minister was not to be taken too literally.
"Can Mr Creech advise the House when we should take Mrs Shipley's statements literally and when she's making things up?"
In her statement Mrs Shipley said: "Mr Hawkesby claims that his newsreading contract was cancelled by TVNZ without cause, that he did not leave willingly, that he did not engineer his dismissal in order to collect any compensation and that he has a substantial claim for damages as a result.
"I understand TVNZ disputes that his contract was cancelled without cause and contests the amount of his claim.
"I accept that differs from what I said and apologise for any differences."
She would not say who had given her the wrong information.
The chairwoman of TVNZ, Rosanne Meo, last night refused to say whether she had discussed the matter with Mrs Shipley before the Crossfire screening.
Hawkesby said he would be happy to disclose details of any future settlement, as long as it was not subject to a confidentiality clause.
"I just want the terms of my contract, for wrongful dismissal. All the figures I've heard are completely erroneous - $1 million, $2 million, and $20 million ... $20 million is definitely too high."
He said he was not at liberty to discuss his plans at this stage.
"I just want to read the news; I don't want to be the news."
Shipley sorry for $1m blunder
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