Bradley Ambrose sues PM for $1.25m

Freelance cameraman Bradley Ambrose is seeking $1.25 million in damages from John Key, claiming the Prime Minister defamed him.

The action has been taken at the High Court in Auckland, according to an RNZ report.

Mr Ambrose made news in the lead up to the 2011 election when he left a switched-on recording device on a cafe table after reporters withdrew and Mr Key began a private conversation with then ACT leader John Banks. 

The freelancer has always denied he purposefully recorded the conversation.

RNZ says in documents filed by his lawyer, Mr Key says Mr Ambrose did intend to record himself and Mr Banks.

Mr Ambrose is asking for:

• $500,000 dollars in aggravated damages relating to comments made by the Prime Minister at a media conference three days after the cup of tea meeting
• $500,000 for an interview Mr Key gave to TV3's Firstline the following day
• $250,000 for comments the PM made to journalists at a stand-up press conference in Upper Hutt two days after the incident

A High Court conference on the defamation claim is expected in the New Year.

"We've been aware that he's likely to file proceedings for defamation and we'll be defending that action," Mr Key told media.

The teapot tape incident was investigated by Police at the time. It decidedt while the recording was unlawful, a prosecution was not in the public interest.

In March 2012, the police issued Mr Ambrose with a warning letter. Mr Ambrose in turn sent a letter to the Crown saying he regretted releasing the recording to the Herald on Sunday. The police then issued him a warning and closed the matter.

The Attorney-General was intending to seek more than $13,000 from Mr Ambrose but that plan was dropped in 2012.

NZ First leader Winston Peters said the claim for $13,000 costs was itself a waste of money and an abuse of power because the case involved National and ACT, not government business.

Editor's note: The original version of this report has been amended to correct the name of the newspaper and the chronology of correspondence between Mr Ambrose and the Crown and police. [10/12/2014]