NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Colin Craig's lawyer and friend of Cameron Slater gives evidence

Sam Hurley
By Sam Hurley
NZ Herald Print Editor·NZ Herald·
21 May, 2017 09:10 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cameron Slater is counter-suing Colin Craig for what he said in the pamphlet and press conference. Photos / File

Cameron Slater is counter-suing Colin Craig for what he said in the pamphlet and press conference. Photos / File

Blogger Cameron Slater says he is "lost for words at the betrayal of someone I considered a friend", after he feels a lawyer acting on behalf of Colin Craig was pitted against him, a court has been told.

Craig, the former Conservative Party leader, is suing Slater, the blogger for website Whale Oil Beef Hooked, for defamation at a trial at the High Court in Auckland before Justice Kit Toogood.

In response to the allegations, Craig published a booklet called Dirty Politics which he distributed to more than a million households and held a press conference about Slater.

Slater is counter-suing Craig for what he said in the pamphlet and press conference.

This morning Madeleine Flannagan, the barrister who owns Hibiscus Coast Legal Chambers, said she began acting on behalf of Craig and his wife Helen as the couple sought to adopt a child.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said she had also known Slater as a friend for about 11 years.

Flannagan, who has been a practising lawyer since January 2012, told the court that between June 24, 2015 and May 5, 2017 she spoke to Slater several times.

"There was talk about a dossier of information," she told the court. "There was suggestion this dossier contained more info than was available publicly. I needed to know what allegations we were potentially dealing with."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I discussed these things with [the Craigs]. The Craigs told me they too were concerned that if more allegations were published, this might negatively affect their [adoption] application."

After hearing radio news reports regarding the sexual allegations against Craig involving former press secretary Rachel MacGregor, and that Slater had more information to be released, she made contact with the blogger.

Craig endorsed the approach, the family and harassment lawyer said.

"I considered I knew Cameron well enough that I could call him and ask what was coming."

Discover more

Opinion

Craig v Slater: WTF just happened?

22 May 03:25 AM
Opinion

Craig v Slater: The nightmare looms

23 May 04:58 AM
New Zealand|politics

Supreme Court allows Craig v Williams defamation appeal

04 Jul 04:36 AM

The Craig's did not want "further speculation" to affect their children, she said.

"I told Cameron I was asking about [the allegations] for a client, but that the nature of the matter was privileged ... the conversation had to remain between us and he assured me it would.

"I wanted to cover the risk that he would tell someone else ... I was counting on him to honour that."

However, Slater claims he believed Flannagan was acting on behalf of a "victim" of Craig's, and the blogger saw her as a source providing her with further information about the allegations against Craig.

Flannagan said Slater "appeared to assume that this client of mine was another 'victim' of Mr Craig's".

On June 25, 2015, Slater phoned Flannagan asking to speak to her client, she replied, "the odds of that were highly unlikely" and told Slater, "the case I'm acting in is quite different".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Further communications between the pair continued, and on April 27 last year, Slater sent a private Facebook message to the lawyer asking to speak to her about Craig.

However, the following day she replied that she was unable to discuss the matter as it was privileged.

"I had not said anything about a victim," she said.

Slater claims he had reasonable grounds to believe Flannagan was acting for a victim.

An emotional Flannagan told the court, "my obligation of confidentiality could still not allow me to tell Cameron who my client was".

When cross-examined by Slater's lawyer, Brian Henry, Flannagan said it was her idea to call Slater.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I don't think Mr Craig knew I had that relationship [with Slater] until I made that phone call."

Slater was recalled to the witness stand to be questioned over Flannagan's evidence.

"I'm just lost for words at the betrayal of someone I considered a friend," the blogger said.

During cross-examination by Craig, who is representing himself, Slater was asked if he felt it was a "credibility contest" between himself and Flannagan.

Slater did not accept Craig's claim.

He also did not accept Craig's proposition that Flannagan was in a difficult position due to client confidentiality agreements.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Craig asked, "did you genuinely believe that at the time she was approaching you as a source to provide you information?"

Slater replied, "yes ... little did I know that she was reporting back to you".

When questioned by Justice Toogood if Slater had betrayed Flannagan over the confidentiality of their conversations, the blogger said, "I guess technically I did".

The trial continues with MacGregor later expected to give evidence.

Craig's claims against Slater

Craig says the allegations written on Slater's blog Whale Oil Beef Hooked were irresponsible, inaccurate and very damaging.

In his opening address, Craig, who is representing himself, set out some of the central claims Slater made against him:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• That he had sexually harassed his former press secretary, Rachel MacGregor.

• He'd given her a "large sum of hush money" which Slater claimed the harassment was true.

• Craig had lied because he told his party and the public the accusations weren't true.

• Craig was a "sexual deviant" and had harassed another woman.

• Craig engaged in "devious conduct" regarding the Conservative Party.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand|crimeUpdated

Migrant worker allegedly beaten for hours over unpaid wages, man faces serious assault charge

02 Jul 06:05 AM
New Zealand

'It's a mess': Auckland roadworks chaos to last another two years

02 Jul 06:02 AM
Sport|athletics

Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

02 Jul 06:01 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Migrant worker allegedly beaten for hours over unpaid wages, man faces serious assault charge

Migrant worker allegedly beaten for hours over unpaid wages, man faces serious assault charge

02 Jul 06:05 AM

The Migrant Workers' Association says it is supporting the victim.

'It's a mess': Auckland roadworks chaos to last another two years

'It's a mess': Auckland roadworks chaos to last another two years

02 Jul 06:02 AM
Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

02 Jul 06:01 AM
Premium
Battle for fiscal hole unit ends as Act and NZ First block Nicola Willis’ proposal

Battle for fiscal hole unit ends as Act and NZ First block Nicola Willis’ proposal

02 Jul 06:00 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP