Andrew Dickens: Putting an end to despicable Clarke Gayford rumours

Opinion

What an extraordinary and disappointing day.

Today the Police Commissioner Mike Bush took the unprecedented step of squashing a rumour that's been going round for 7 months now. I'm sure you've heard it unless you've been under a rock.

The rumour concerned the Prime Minister's partner Clarke Gayford and insinuates the police has something on him.

So the Commissioner said Gayford is not, and has not been, the subject of any police inquiry, nor has he been charged in relation to any matter. And the reason he took this remarkable step is because of the sheer size and scale of the claims and their despicable nature.

I'm so glad this has happened. For months now I have been inundated with friends and acquaintances asking me if the "rumours" are true. Many listeners have texted the "rumour" to me while on air under the guise of anonymity. Many accompanied by detailed scenarios.

The scale of the spread of the "story" astounded me. And the morality of those who created the "rumour" in the first place. I had no truck with it and dressed down anyone who mentioned it. A senior manager asked me if an arrest was imminent. I replied get a grip he's currently meeting the Queen!

I presume the architects of this whispering slur campaign were disaffected National Party voters still astounded that their party is not in power. If so, they have just cut their nose off to spite their face.

If National supporters are involved they have just confirmed that Nicky Hager's allegation that 'Dirty Politics' is alive and well in our system is true.

And in doing so they resemble the sore loser Democrats in the United States who are doing anything they can to impeach a lawfully elected President.

They have become all that they hate.
This has been a shameful blot on our social landscape.

I'm very pleased that the police have taken action. If you helped spread the lie, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

* Editor's note: (National Party leader Simon Bridges has said today that he expects his MPs to be "above reproach" in their dealings with media and says: "As leader I've repeatedly made my expectations very clear — National MPs will not be involved in peddling rumours or innuendo.")

* Andrew Dickens hosts Newstalk ZB's midday-4pm weekdays show.