LAWYER CLAIMS BILLIONAIRE'S JOB WOULD BE ON THE LINE

An American billionaire who escaped conviction for importing marijuana
into New Zealand needed his reputation protected because he could lose
his job, the man's lawyer said yesterday.

In the High Court at Auckland, lawyer Marie Dyhrberg said two senior
executives involved in the same company told her he would have to
stand down as chief executive if convicted.

The businessman has a 15 per cent stake in the company. His personal
fortune is estimated at $1.3 billion.

"Of course he's wealthy and doesn't need the job as such, but if he no
longer had income from the company, then that would have an effect on
how much disposable income he would have to make to charities," she
told Justices Nicholson and Potter.

Ms Dyhrberg argued that "associations and charities" with which the
billionaire was linked in America would suffer if the man's name was
released.

But Herald lawyer Bruce Gray argued that the man's name had been
published widely overseas, including on the Internet, and that none of
the adverse effects put forward by the defence had occurred.

Judge David Harvey discharged the billionaire without conviction on
January 7 in the Otahuhu District Court for importing 100g of cannabis
and hashish. The judge granted permanent name suppression.

The Herald took the case back to court this week for a review of that
decision, as it continues its battle to overturn the suppression order.

Ms Dyhrberg also argued at this hearing that the billionaire's support
for decriminalisation was strictly for medical purposes and he did not
support general legalisation of the drug. She said he also used
cannabis because he previously had an alcohol problem.

But Mr Gray quoted from a number of overseas publications, including a
piece from Associated Press, which quoted the billionaire as lending
his support for general decriminalisation.

Mr Gray also told the court that over a 10-year period, in cases
similar to that of the billionaire's importation of 100g of cannabis
plant and resin, only 5.5 per cent of defendants were granted name
suppression.

He also urged Justices Nicholson and Potter not to send the case back
to a lower court but to make a decision on the evidence put before
them at this week's two-day hearing.

The Justices' written decision is expected in two to three weeks.