Benson-Pope barrage eases to potshots

The opposition's pressure on David Benson-Pope relented yesterday, but Act leader Rodney Hide twice breached the rules to accuse the Cabinet minister of misleading Parliament and of being a liar.

Mr Benson-Pope was subjected to, or the subject of, a number of questions during the first two sitting days in the House about allegations that in his teaching days he assaulted students.

Yesterday the Government faced just one question on the issue, directed to Mr Benson-Pope.

National MP Simon Power focused on Mr Benson-Pope's comment the previous day that in regard to his authorisation of the leaking of the police file, he had given no instruction to his press secretary "other than being completely honest with the media".

Mr Power asked why Mr Benson-Pope's press secretary had refused to confirm that direction to the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA), saying it left "the impression that the press secretary doesn't want to have to mislead the media twice in less than a week".

Mr Benson-Pope replied that his staff member was asked to comment on disciplinary proceedings he is facing after having denied leaking parts of the file to the Herald on Sunday.

"My press secretary advises me that NZPA have drawn an incorrect inference from his decision not to comment," the minister said.

(NZPA later stood by its report, saying that it had not asked the press secretary about the disciplinary action.)

"How does the member expect this House to believe that his staff member was briefed to act honestly when that staff member leaked an embargoed police report, selectively leaked details from that report, set up a 'no comment' scenario for the minister and even suggested that the police had leaked the report?"

Mr Benson-Pope said he did "not agree with those propositions" and had leaked the material to balance "misinformation" from Mr Hide.

Asked by Mr Power if he had seen the "numerous editorials which condemn his behaviour and suggest he is not a fit person to hold a portfolio", Mr Benson-Pope said he had seen them and disagreed.

Mr Hide then launched his assault, trying Speaker Margaret Wilson's patience by deliberately breaching standing orders.

Ms Wilson has turned down several of Mr Hide's requests for an inquiry into his claim that Mr Benson-Pope breached parliamentary privilege in May when he rebutted the allegations.

The police report shows some former students have confirmed one alleged assault.

Mr Hide yesterday asked the minister: "Why doesn't he do the decent thing and resign from Cabinet and indeed from this Parliament for having lied ... "

Ms Wilson said Mr Hide knew this was "unparliamentary language" and asked him to withdraw and rephrase that part of his question.

"To the minister, isn't it the case that there's only one person in his office having trouble with honesty and it's the minister, and why doesn't he do the decent thing and resign from Cabinet, resign from this Parliament for having deliberately misled this Parliament ... "

Asked to have one more go by Ms Wilson, he referred to Mr Benson-Pope's "less-than-honest comments".