Bob Carr confirms intention to launch legal action against Winston Peters

Bob Carr has confirmed to RNZ his lawyers have written to Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, informing him they intend to launch legal action against him.

RNZ has contacted Peters’ office to confirm he has received the letter.

In an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report on Thursday, Peters criticised the former Australian senator’s views on the security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

RNZ removed the comments from the interview online after Carr, who was Australia’s foreign minister from 2012 to 2013, told RNZ he considered the remarks to be “entirely defamatory” and would commence legal action.

Peters was being interviewed on Morning Report about a major foreign policy speech he delivered in Wellington on Wednesday night where he laid out New Zealand’s position on AUKUS.

Last month, Carr travelled to New Zealand to take part in a panel discussion on AUKUS, after Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker organised a debate at Parliament.

Speaking to media in Auckland on Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, when asked about Peters’ comments, said as an experienced politician Carr should understand the “rough and tumble of politics”.