Lee's private life plays part in dumping

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

The torrid personal life of Alliance minister Sandra Lee is understood to have been a big factor in her dumping as Mana Motuhake leader nine days ago.

Among party members' concerns was the fact that a Te Puni Kokiri (Ministry of Maori Development) adviser in her office, Anaru Vercoe, left his terminally ill wife last year for the minister.

His wife is the sister of Wairoa Mayor and parliamentary aspirant Derek Fox.

Mr Vercoe had originally been seconded to Sandra Lee's office, but was placed back in Te Puni Kokiri head office after the relationship started.

Mr Vercoe was present at a dispute in Sandra Lee's ministerial house in central Wellington on May 31, to which the police were called.

Also present was Sandra Lee's Beehive senior private secretary at the time, Suzanne Corbett, an old friend who served on Auckland City Council and had been an Alliance mayoral candidate.

Suzanne Corbett also lived at the eight-bedroom house in Bolton St.

She told the Herald last night that she had accepted the job in February last year on the understanding that she would live in the ministerial residence.

That had been at the invitation of the minister, and with the knowledge of Ministerial Services.

She said three people were present on the evening of May 31.

"These three people were Sandra Lee, myself and Anaru Vercoe.

"As a result of a confrontation between Anaru Vercoe and myself, I called the police."

She would not say what the dispute had been about.

Police interviewed her that night and the next day, but she did not want to take the matter further. She left her job on June 1.

Suzanne Corbett said that, had the dispute not occurred, she would not have left her job.

Sandra Lee was deposed the next day.

Suzanne Corbett said she was planning a trip to Australia and Britain to see her adult children. She hoped to resume her friendship with Sandra Lee when she returned.

She would not confirm suggestions that she had become the primary occupant of the ministerial house, and that Sandra Lee spent most nights at Mr Vercoe's flat.

"So what - if that were true?"

The Herald understands that Mana Motuhake members tried to discuss Sandra Lee's relationship with Mr Vercoe last year, and that unhappiness about it played a part in her downfall.

Alliance backbencher Willie Jackson defeated Sandra Lee for the Mana Motuhake leadership.

Sandra Lee would not personally respond to questions last night. But she said through a spokesman: "I believe this is all driven by people who wish to discredit me politically. I am entitled to a personal life . . ."

Helen Clark had no concerns about Sandra Lee as a minister.

"I have no complaints about her performance as a minister . . . She makes a very good contribution.

"That's the public interest. I don't take an interest in the private lives."

Helen Clark confirmed that ministers may have whomever they want to stay in their house.

Internal Affairs spokeswoman Pamela Fleming said yesterday that Ministerial Services had been aware of the arrangements.

Suzanne Corbett had "left a week ago at her own request."

Alliance leader Jim Anderton said he had full confidence in Sandra Lee.

"Personal things happen. A week or two ago it was Annette King's daughter . . . From time to time those relationships get interesting to the media, and they develop them in ways that they probably wouldn't if you were an ordinary citizen. It goes with the territory."

Meanwhile, Mr Anderton met Mr Jackson, Mr Winitana and Mr Ratima at Parliament last night with Alliance president Matt McCarten.

The Mana Motuhake leadership wants greater autonomy as a Maori party within the Alliance, ahead of Derek Fox's launch of a new Maori party.

Mr Jackson said discussions would continue during the week.

Before the meeting, Mr Anderton said: "Mana Motuhake is a constituent party of the Alliance. Members of Mana Motuhake got elected as Alliance MPs. They did not get elected as Mana Motuhake MPs. That's the first thing they must remember."