Cullen red-faced after accusation

Michael Cullen

Acting Prime Minister Michael Cullen was forced to make an embarrassing apology to TV3 yesterday for wrongly claiming it employed false pretences to get the story that has put David Benson-Pope's ministerial career on hold.

Earlier, Dr Cullen lost his composure as he accompanied Mr Benson-Pope to the Labour caucus for the first time since the minister stood down from the Cabinet.

Dr Cullen shouted at reporters who followed a tight-lipped Mr Benson-Pope down the parliamentary hallway to the caucus door.

"We don't do that - we don't chase people down the corridors," he said in instinctive attack mode.

He warned the press gallery they were at Parliament only with the permission of the Speaker and claimed that cameras following MPs down corridors was "designed to make people look as though they've got something to hide".

Then Dr Cullen accused TV3 of false pretences in getting the story that led to Mr Benson-Pope's suspension as associate education minister - allegations that as a teacher at Bayfield High School in Dunedin he stuffed a tennis ball in a pupil's mouth and taped his hands to a desk, and that he caused another pupil's nose to bleed by striking him with the back of his hand.

"There were false pretences engaged to try to elicit information from some exceptionally distasteful people," Dr Cullen said.

"The fact that the TV3 reporter engaged in false pretences trying to be a Bayfield High student has got nothing to do with the police inquiry into the charges against Mr Benson-Pope. That's just to do with TV3."

He was referring to reporter Steve Hopkins, who in March posted his name on a website that connects old friends, without identifying himself as a journalist, asking: "Anyone else remember the beatings Benson-Pope used to dish out?"

However, he works for Prime, and Dr Cullen issued an apology to TV3.

The matter has been referred to the police after Act leader Rodney Hide and National MP Judith Collins made the allegations in Parliament by unnamed people. Several of them went public, on TV3 last month.

Prime denies that the statement on the website implies that Hopkins is a former Bayfield High student.

Paul Holmes executive producer Pip Keane said the programme had received an email in March from a man making allegations about Mr Benson-Pope's treatment of students. He had declined to be be interviewed but suggested making contact with other former pupils.

She said that in subsequent email exchanges with former students, Hopkins identified himself as a Paul Holmes reporter.

Dr Cullen said yesterday that Mr Benson-Pope had an "exceptionally good story to tell" this week.