Day 246 - 09 May 96 - Page 16
1 Strategy", and again it is undated. It has as its goal,
2 "For McDonald's to be perceived as a truthful and ethical
3 company whose policies and actions are in the best
4 interests of the public and the environment".
5
6 Were you involved in this decision that this was to be the
7 goal?
8 A. No, I was not in involved in the discussions. I have
9 only had one goal in the whole exercise: establish the
10 truth. That is all I have ever said, and that is all
11 I really care to say about it.
12
13 Q. So that is the goal for this trial. This goal that is down
14 on the paper, is that the goal in terms of what you want to
15 put over to the media; is that right?
16 A. Well, we are talking here about the best interests of
17 the public, the environment, I assume the media must be a
18 vehicle, but I would certainly want my company to be
19 perceived by the public as truthful and honest and doing
20 the right things. I think any businessman who said
21 anything else would be very foolish.
22
23 Q. If you want your company to be perceived as the truthful
24 and ethical company, would it not be important to get your
25 facts straight before you print 300,000 leaflets to be
26 distributed throughout the country in your stores?
27 A. I believe our facts are straight.
28
29 Q. We went through that the other day and you agreed that you
30 had got it wrong in relation to ----
31 A. No. I am sorry, I did not. I commented on one element
32 of a document where I apologised. I said: "I am sorry, a
33 mistake was made, an honest mistake, it was certainly no
34 intent". I stand by that.
35
36 Q. Is the reality, Mr. Preston, that basically when McDonald's
37 is criticised, you jump up and say, "It is not true. Our
38 critics are liars", without bothering to check whether or
39 not it is true?
40 A. It is not so, simply not so.
41
42 Q. When you get caught out having told something that was
43 untrue, to say the least, you stone-wall and deny that it
44 is lies, or untrue?
45 A. Ms. Steel, if I have made a mistake, or my company has
46 made a mistake, I will stand up and admit it. If I have
47 not done so, if I have acted correctly and properly, I will
48 fight my corner. But if I have made an error I will say
49 it. I will admit it.
50
51 Q. So when you realised that you had made an error in all
52 these press releases you sent out to the media, and all the
53 leaflets that you distributed country-wide in all your
54 stores, you wrote to them, did you, telling them there was
55 an error and urging them to bring it to the attention of
56 customers and to the public generally?
57 A. No, I do not think so.
58
59 Q. No. In fact you are still distributing those press
60 releases and leaflets which contain errors by your own
