It’s very unusual for opposition to foreign control to be cited as the motive in a serious criminal case. But that was the situation in the June 2000 Christchurch trial of Malcolm Campbell, a 64 year old retired Methven farmer. He faced a dozen charges of damaging nearly 20 national grid power pylons, over a 16 months period until June 1999. Testimony was given that if one of the big metal pylons had been toppled, that would have shut off electricity to the North Island.

Before Campbell was arrested, there was considerable media and Police hysteria that this series of sabotages was somehow related to New Zealand's hosting the 1999 APEC Leaders’ Summit. It was unusual also, for NZ political direct activism, in that it involved a real, not a symbolic target. Previous such attacks had involved the statues of colonial governors, One Tree Hill, and the America’s Cup. But this was the real McCoy.

Campbell was arrested, bailed, did a runner, was caught after a lengthy bush search, and was locked up for six months awaiting trial. In court, APEC was never mentioned. But the prosecution introduced plenty of evidence to establish his opposition to NZ power assets being sold to foreign companies as his alleged motive.

It didn’t convince the jury. He was acquitted on all counts (plus several other related ones, in a later hearing). He walked from court a free man. "He continued to hold the opinion, quoted against him during the trial, that it was wrong to sell New Zealand assets. ‘No, that hasn’t changed’, he said. ‘I don’t believe in selling our assets to overseas ownership’" (Press, 24/6/00; "Not-guilty finding in pylon case").

In case you’re wondering, he’s not one of ours. CAFCA had never heard of him before his unsought national notoriety. We hope that he’s left in peace now, to enjoy his retirement.