Police have been called in to investigate a series of anti-gay email forgeries perpetuated through the Maxim Institute's online letter wizard. Forgers hijacked email addressses to pass themselves off as others when sending messages to media organisations as part of Maxim Institute letter-writing campaigns. One particularly vitriolic forgery came from someone claiming to be Peter Dunne, United Future leader. It accused Act leader Rodney Hide of promoting a homosexual agenda and of having an anti-family, fanatical liberal, anti-Maori, racist, and homosexual commentator as his "closest confidant and adviser." Dunne said the Maxim Institute was horrified when he complained about the email sent to editors in his name. Otago Daily Times editor Robin Charteris said the Maxim Institute had been responsible for bulk but individual emailing of letters to editors for some time. ISP's Xtra and Paradise are currently passing the buck over who is legally liable for offences of this type.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 4th September 2004 - 12:00pm