Cullen sorry for error over notes

Attorney-General Michael Cullen expressed regret in Parliament yesterday about "any imputation" that may have been taken over his suggestions that Chief Maori Land Court Judge Joe Williams passed documents to the media.

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee, who has previously attacked Judge Williams, said Dr Cullen had embarrassed himself by attacking a judge and should apologise.

In Parliament on Tuesday, Dr Cullen said he believed Judge Williams had passed on minutes to Herald on Sunday political editor Jonathan Milne relating to a customary rights order application to the Maori Land Court.

Judge Williams said the minutes were public documents. They did not require his authority to be released and he had not been asked about them.

Milne said he had not spoken to the judge and that they came from the registrar's office.

Explaining his apparent error in accusing the judge of personally releasing the notes, Dr Cullen told Parliament yesterday his parliamentary private secretary, Russell Fairbrother, had been told by Milne the notes had come from the judge.

Milne had been "less than careful" in his use of words. "I certainly regret any imputation that might have been contained therein."

The error was compounded by the fact that Dr Cullen has recently assumed the role of Attorney-General, the person in the Government responsible for maintaining a good relationship with the judiciary.

The application in question is the first under the Foreshore and Seabed Act for a customary rights order protecting specified activity.

It was made by members of the Whakatohea tribe in Eastern Bay of Plenty and relates to 50km of coastline and cited "rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga". Judge Williams has accepted the application but asked the claimants to be more specific in defining activities and places.

Last year Mr Brownlee criticised Judge Williams for writing to the Herald to correct a claim in a National Party advertisement on the Maori Land Court, saying he had strayed too far into politics.