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"Bad character" gay bookseller booted

Thu 7 Jul 2005 In: New Zealand Daily News

Gay Auckland bookstore owner and US immigrant Jim Peron has been labelled of "bad character" and given his marching orders by the Immigration Service following controversy over his links to a paedophile magazine in the 1980's. Peron, who has been a contributor to GayNZ.com, was accused of being a paedophile by NZ First leader Winston Peters under parliamentary privilege earlier in the year. Those initial claims were never substantiated, but Peron's emphatic denials of wrongdoing looked suspect following an investigation into Peron's background by Christian think-tank the Locke Foundation at the request of NZ First. The Locke Foundation, some of whose members are former political associates of convicted child rapist Graham Capill, discovered and imported a copy of the paedophile magazine Unbound which contained an article by Jim Peron, and was allegedly sold in Peron's San Francisco bookstore in the 1980's. Peron denied selling the magazine, and claimed the article bearing his name was rewritten without his knowledge. After “Unbound” was rated objectionable by New Zealand's Chief Censor Bill Hastings, the Immigration Service moved to cancel Peron's business visa on June 28. Labour Department spokesperson Mary Anne Thompson told the Dominion Post that Peron now had 21 days to say why his three-year visa, due to expire in December, should not be cancelled. Peron, who has been overseas since March, will not be allowed back into the country in the meantime. "He may not come back to defend himself nor to pack up his belongings or wind up his business affairs," says friend and supporter James Jenkins. “Had he been a Tongan rapist or Ahmed Zaoui he would no doubt been accorded a red carpet arrival and full legal aid.” However Peron's detractors, including NZ First leader Winston Peters, feel vindicated by the decision. "Many people, including those in the media, took the chance to try and label me irresponsible for the way I handled this case, however the Immigration Service have today vindicated my claim that Mr Peron is not the type of person we want living in New Zealand,” he said in a press statement. Peron has not responded to emailed requests from GayNZ.com for comment. His lawyer John McKay told the Dominion Post that Peron will be appealing the decision. “He can only hope that political agendas will not prejudice his right to have his position considered on its true merits."    

Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff

First published: Thursday, 7th July 2005 - 12:00pm

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