Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has given Greens' co-leader Russel Norman a deadline of Friday to apologise and issue a retraction over a Big Gay Out speech or be sued for defamation.
Colin Craig. Photo: CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman. Photo: RNZ
Dr Norman said at the event on 9 February this year that a vote for Prime Minister John Key is a vote for Mr Craig, who thinks a woman's place is in the kitchen and a gay man's place is in the closet.
Mr Craig told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme on Monday that is not true.
"I don't believe those things. Therefore, he is clearly promoting an untruth, and that untruth is not I don't think would be something people would accept. They're not consistent with my life, they're certainly not consistent with Conservative Party policy."
But Dr Norman told Checkpoint on Monday he stands by what he said.
"I think it's quite clear from Mr Craig's views about women and about gay men that his views are 1950s-style views. That is, views that believe that a women's place is in the kitchen is a metaphor for views about women which are outdated.
"Likewise, a gay man's place in the closet - well that's a metaphor for these are views that are outdated or very old."
Dr Norman said he won't be making a retraction or apologising.
