Former Prime Minister David Lange's lawyer says he was "burned off" by the publishers of North & South, who spent nearly $500,000 fighting his libel action at every turn.
Australian Consolidated Press' legal bill was confirmed yesterday by North & South editor Robyn Langwell, who said there would be little change out of half a million dollars.
ACP's legal team included libel case specialists Rhys Harrison, QC, and Stephen Mills.
Mr Lange's lawyer, Peter McKnight, declined to say how much his client had spent pursuing the five-year libel action, except that it was considerable.
Mr McKnight was speaking outside the High Court at Auckland after formally discontinuing Mr Lange's defamation action against ACP and political columnist Joe Atkinson.
Mr Lange started the action after taking offence at an article in North & South which criticised his performance as Prime Minister.
The case has twice been to the Court of Appeal and also to the Privy Council in London.
Mr McKnight said it had been an expensive exercise for Mr Lange.
But, realistically, ACP was going to fight all the way.
It was a "daunting process" for a plaintiff such as Mr Lange, who paid all his own legal expenses, to take on an organisation such as ACP, he said.
"There is only so much money you can spend on such an exercise.
"To sum it up, David Lange has been burned off," said Mr McKnight.
He said that ACP had relied on what he described as a "technical" defence of qualified privilege.
He suggested that the publisher, which owned by media magnate Kerry Packer, had not been willing to defend the case on its merits.
Mr McKnight claimed that the law had changed after Mr Lange filed his claim and that the "goal posts had shifted."
A ruling from the Court of Appeal had extended the scope for criticism of parliamentarians, retired or standing for election, as long as it could not be shown to be reckless or motivated by malice.
Apart from $6000 Mr Lange is paying towards ACP's Court of Appeal costs, each side is paying its own legal bill.
After the hearing, Robyn Langwell said she was relieved that, after five years and two months, the court action was finally over.
"As the editor of a national magazine, it is always something that is hanging over your shoulder ...
"I am pleased that it is over and I am pleased that we have been victorious."
Robyn Langwell said the central issue was how journalists in New Zealand were allowed to do their jobs.
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