brownlee received criticism during the 1999 election campaign when he ejected neil able, a 60-year-old native forest action campaigner, from the national party's 1999 election campaign launch. the ejection took place with what many, including watching journalists, considered excessive force. neil able started civil assault proceedings against brownlee, seeking damages of $60,000. in 2002, a district court judge found in favour of mr able that brownlee had "used excessive and unnecessary force on mr abel when he tried to remove him from a staircase handrail". brownlee was ordered to pay neil able $8,500 in damages. brownlee later sought unsuccessfully to have $48,000 of his legal fees reimbursed by the government.