Liz Gunn pleads not guilty over airport incident charges

Former broadcaster Liz Gunn (L) at Auckland's Manukau District Court ahead of today’s appearance....
Former broadcaster Liz Gunn (L) at Auckland's Manukau District Court ahead of today’s appearance. Photo: NZ Herald
Former TV presenter Liz Gunn has pleaded not guilty after she and a cameraman allegedly got into a scuffle with Auckland Airport security over filming without a permit.

And after the court hearing, Gunn told reporters that all she wanted to do was be left alone to do her gardening.

In her first appearance since she was arrested last month the 63-year-old Aucklander appeared in the Manukau District Court this morning to face three charges after trying to conduct an on-camera interview without seeking permission.

Gunn has been charged with wilfully trespassing, resisting arrest and assault.

She pleaded not guilty and is now due to reappear in court on June 7.

Gunn had spoken to Judge Richard McIlraith about getting access to the airport security footage of the incident.

She said it was important for transparency and justice.

”I would never be violent towards another person,” she said.

The security footage matter will be dealt with at the June case review hearing.

As part of her bail conditions, Gunn was given an order to not go near the woman she is alleged to have assaulted.

Co-accused Jonathan Clark, who was with Gunn at the airport attempting to film inside the international terminal, was charged with wilfully trespassing and resisting arrest.

He also pleaded not guilty.

Talking after the court appearance, Gunn told media: “I am nothing and nobody.”

“I just want to do my gardening. "

She then urged people to be self-sufficient and grow their own vegetables and put money into gold and silver.

Gunn said that she was still suffering from the February incident, including a fractured wrist and migraines.

She called for the resignation of Police Commissioner Andrew Coster after the airport incident.

Clark was given a general non-violence order against people or property for his bail conditions.

Gunn said before her appearance she was only at the airport to greet friends arriving back in New Zealand like hundreds of other people.

“All we had was a slightly bigger camera,” she said.

Outside the courtroom, Gunn appealed for 12 “good and true men and women " to sit alongside her after discovering the public seating was limited.

The former TV presenter was arrested on February 25 after a scuffle at the airport’s international arrivals hall.

She and Clark had been trying to film the arrival into New Zealand of members of a family who had been kept in lockdown in Tokelau after refusing the Covid vaccine but Gunn characterised that encounter as “simply filming friends arriving” and claimed she was not verbally trespassed by Auckland Airport staff before police became involved.

Auckland Airport requires media to seek clearance before they film there - a long-standing rule that is well-known by the media.

Gunn claimed the rules did not apply to her.

“We make no regular income and are not a commercial enterprise, we do this mahi from love.”