Malicious, vicious rumours, says Laws | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

A predictable election-year cycle of malevolent, malicious and vicious rumours are surrounding Mayor Michael Laws and his family, he says.

According to Mr Laws, a front-page story in the Herald on Sunday yesterday  misrepresented the family situation and was fraught with inaccuracies.

Mr Laws said yesterday he did not want to to comment, except to say that he believed the rumour attack was cyclical.

"It's led by the same group of people, and it happens every election year. It happened in 2004, 2007 and now 2010."

The story alleged that Whanganui police were called to the Laws house in mid-January on a "domestic matter".

Mr Laws said the rumours he had heard about his personal life over the past week had been incredible.

"I am not going to discuss them. I am not commenting at all."

A written statement from his partner, Leonie Brookhammer - the couple are living apart - said the story had completely misrepresented her personal situation.

"And I have no wish to expose my family and my private life to more media scrutiny,"she said.

"Over the past five years, and since Michael has been the Mayor of Wanganui, our family and our personal life have been the subject of ongoing malicious rumour and hurtful gossip."

Mr Laws said the couple were living apart because the gossip and nasty rumours had escalated.

"It's very stressful for Leonie. It's all directed at me, and I can throw it off, but it's hard for Leonie, and it's unfair because it causes her so much stress, which is not easy with five children to look after."

Ms Brookhammer believed the "vile rumours" had appeared to come from the same sources.

"They take many forms but are all designed to bring Michael or I into disrepute."

"Michael has been a public and political figure for over 20 years. He has well-developed coping mechanisms. People cope in different ways: Michael's is to provide a solution and move on. But I am just an ordinary person, and a mum to five children.

"The pressures and attacks distress me and have impacts on my family.

 "My family is entitled to privacy and a private life, no matter what Michael's public profile," Ms Brookhammer said.