A Gisborne function centre owner is claiming $5,000 from the Prime Minister and her partner for cancelling holding their wedding there. This followed a disagreement over the catering arrangements. It’s time this buffoon grew up and the media stopped giving him coverage.
Every day tens of thousands of people spend their time, often extending into many months, in their employment role, trying to do a deal.
Real estate agents are typical. Imagine if they threw a tantrum and ran to the press after they showed someone a house or building for sale or rent and nothing came of it. It goes with the territory.
Building contractors spend lots of time and money preparing quotes. If they don’t win the job they don’t demand payment for their time. So too with countless other activities.
The publicity accorded this non-story is solely because it involves the PM. The caterer claims $5,000 as a cancellation fee. It’s time he took some legal advice. He’s entitled to nothing unless it’s in writing.
Had the potential client been Joe Blow this would never have commanded media coverage.
Had it been me, a highly improbable event given my view that formal marriage is now an anachronism, the media would probably have given it a run.
In response I’d lodge a Police complaint against the caterer for attempted extortion and in going to the media, of attempted blackmail. And should the Police try and pass it off as a civil matter, which attempted extortion and blackmail most certainly are not, then I’d have brought a private criminal case against this ratbag and unless he’s a maori with automatic home detention these days no matter the crime’s seriousness, had a top lawyer demand a short prison sentence.
3 Comments
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was instigated by JA’s spin team to try for a bit of sympathy because things are going pear shaped for her. Nothing like a little distraction.
Probably pleased it all fell over anyway.
In fairness Sir Bob, the venue was booked and the date changed a couple of times which probably entailed staff changes and other potential clients being turned away. These venues are not last minute jobbies with bookings at times well over a year in advance.
While a contract may be well advised one would hope that the prime mionister would be a person of integrity and also you would expect a “great communicator” to have made very clear that her wishes included a selected chef rather than the house crew.
However, poor communication on both sides does not deserve the viscious pile on that has occurred on social media from the adernists including personal attacks and fake reviews.