Pam ordered to pay up

Whale Oil blogs:

Yesterday in the Disputes Tribunal there was a case involving former NewstalkZB radio host and Internet party press secretary Pam Corkery.

The case was the first call in the Disputes Tribunal but Pam Corkery failed to show. The judgment details that she apparently now lives in Australia and despite promising to phone into the Tribunal hearing she did not.

Accordingly, judgement was entered against her for a sum of $5285.33. She has until 27 July to pay her victim.  

So what is the dispute about?

Corkery is alleged to have proceeded to “bully the woman” with requests for money saying that she had heard this elderly lady had money she could lend. Corkery allegedly initially asked for $30000 saying it was for a property transaction and she would pay it back.

Corkery was reportedly told by the lady she only had access to $ 7500. At that stage, it is alleged that Corkery said “that will do” and took it with an understanding that it would be paid back on settlement.

This occurred in 2013, while she was still working for NewstalkZB and prior to the 2014 election when she was in the pay of the Internet party. It is alleged that there was no house purchase and that Corkery had kept the money and done very little in the way of paying it back . Corkery constantly claimed she had no money anymore and couldn’t repay it.

The decision says Corkery borrowed $5,000 in Feb 2013, agreeing to pay it back by November 2013. She borrowed another $1,800 in June 2013 agreeing to pay it back in six weeks.

She then refused to pay any of it back, until June 2014 when she started paying a small amount totalling $1,380 over three years.

So now there is a court judgement requiring her to pay, will Corkery pay up? Or will she just never return from Australia, so she can avoid her debt to the elderly woman?