National MP to lay privileges complaint against Winston Peters

National MP Mark Mitchell says he will lay a complaint against Winston Peters for allegedly misleading the House over statements about Karel Sroubek's estranged wife. Photo / Mark Mitchell

National MP Mark Mitchell is accusing Government Ministers of disgraceful politics for subjecting the estranged wife of Karel Sroubek to a "concerted character assassination" when she already feared for her safety.

And he plans to lay a complaint to Parliament's privileges committee because he thinks Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters misled the House during Question Time by saying police had offered protection to the estranged wife three times, but she had declined.

Mitchell said police never offered her protection, but had put a police safety plan in place when she requested one after her family moved her to a house away from Auckland.

"Winston Peters appears to have launched a campaign against her which includes misleading the house with a relentless diatribe of lies.

"She sought the assistance of the opposition and has been attacked and bullied since. All she's done is the right thing, and what has this Government done? A concerted character assassination. It's a total disgrace."

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Peters responded: "Unfortunately Mr Mitchell has allowed himself to be seriously misadvised."

He explained the brevity of his response by adding, "You should never interfere with the enemy when it's in the process of destroying itself."

Mitchell also took exception to Police Minister Stuart Nash, who questioned Mitchell's integrity yesterday in saying the estranged wife was not in a police safe house and Mitchell was putting out a "story was not correct".

Mitchell has never said she was in a police safe house, but in a house subject to a police safety plan.

"Every piece of information, before it goes public, is tested and verified. That's why I'm so offended by having my integrity challenged by the Minister of Police."

During Question Time this week, National MPs have sought answers to why Immigration officials turned up to a house where the estranged wife was staying, despite the police safety plan.

Mitchell said he had asked Nash to help because she was afraid of Sroubek, a convicted criminal who has gang associations.

"She's been taken away to a safe home in a different part of the country that is subject to a police safety plan, and then, unannounced, two police detectives and an Immigration NZ official turned up at the front door.

"She was asked to do something she felt would make her an even bigger target for Sroubek, felt very uneasy and asked for a support person.

"Immigration NZ tried to push her out in front to take Sroubek on, a person who she is already scared to death of ... to help save a Minister. It's a total disgrace."

Nash initially supported Mitchell in saying that no one but police should have known her address, but later said that police had acted accordingly because they had not divulged any information about where she was.

Immigration NZ confirmed it already had the information