Readers' Views: David Benson-Pope

The political storm surrounding David Benson-Pope has attracted intense reader interest. The Herald received more than 100 emails yesterday in response to three questions arising from the "shower girl" controversy:

* Did he do anything wrong at the school camp?
* Did he mislead Parliament and the public?
* Should he resign?

A sampling of the replies:

Yes: He breached his duty of trust at the school camp.
Yes: Misleading both the House and the public.
Yes: He should resign and, if he doesn't, Helen Clark should sack him.
- Jocelyn Griggs

There is no place in society for bullies.
- Lyn Price

Rather than asking questions about Mr Benson-Pope's somewhat unconventional methods of disciplining unruly teenagers, should we not be asking if he is an effective minister of the Crown and if he is a good and hardworking representative of his electorate? If the answer to those two questions is yes, Parliament should put the matter to rest.
- Anne McComish

I think Parliament should get on with its job and not waste more of the taxpayers' cash on this. It appears no one can remember anything anyway. These issues should not even still be around.
- William Thompson

David Benson-Pope's main problem is his complete inability to face up to the allegations. His attempts to spin his way out of trouble paint him in a far worse light than had he simply stood up and said, "Yes, I did some things that I shouldn't have and I regret doing them".
- Tim Bond

I went on school camps with my children in the mid-1990s, and remember what happened very well. I am quite sure that if there had been any incidents I, and everyone else there, would have remembered them . Mr Benson-Pope's responses to the allegations are not credible.
- Jeff Davies

It does not take a rocket scientist to appreciate that there are certain acts that are universally considered unacceptable. If Mr Pope cannot understand that, he has no right to be a minister. Trying to weasel one's way out of a clear-cut breach of parliamentary etiquette is not a good look. He should leave parliament altogether.
- Ernest Sirimanne

I fail to see the relationship of minor non-criminal infractions as a teacher, to performance as a crown minister or MP. Being a saint is not a requirement for a MP. I I'm more concerned about the ineffective performance of the Opposition. Why should I pay taxes to get an Opposition to spread gossip using Parliament? There are cheaper methods to do that.
- Lynn Prentice

David Benson-Pope may well have been over-bearing and authoritarian but is not yet proven to have done anything that was illegal or unprofessional at the time. We must be careful not to measure actions in the past against the standards of today.
- Owen Saunders

Benson-Pope is not good enough to represent anybody, and should be removed from parliament. PS: What does the Minister for Social Developement do?
- Roger Ellery

His problems are not with the history. They lay in his inability to tell the truth "today". His inability to fess-up "today" means he is not fit for "today's" job. It's the duck-shoving and political nonsense behind "keeping a lid on it" that the public despise. His party colleagues like Cullen affect their own credibility by assisting in "fudging" the issues. Benson-Pope must go.
- Graham Willson

No he shouldn't resign; he's a good Cabinet minister. I don't know what happened but I do know that all sorts of things happen in schools; big deal. As with any good teacher it is clear that most of Benson-Pope's interactions with students were good and to their ultimate educational and social benefit.
- David Munro

David Benson-Pope should be given the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he stuffed and taped up so many students mouths with tennis balls, and walked through so many 14-year-old girls' dormitories while they were getting changed, that he genuinely cannot remember each incident. Furthermore I am sure that his defenders would have no concerns if their daughters came home from school camp complaining of such incidents.
- Christian White

The time has clearly come for there to be an independent investigation to resolve the rumours and innuendoes. If the minister comes out of such an inquiry squeaky clean then that should be an end to the matter. However, should there prove to be a case to answer then the minister should immediately be suspended and should it prove he has indeed lied to parliament then he should not only be dismissed from public office but charged with that offence.
- Rod Lyons

Obviously these allegations against Mr Benson-Pope were known to somebody at the time of the tennis ball allegations. Why then did they delay the release of these new allegations until now? The only reason can be to maximise the damage potential for political gain.
- Eduard Derrin

Following Helen Clark's tete-a-tete with Bill Clinton last week, did she maybe commend to David Benson-Pope the attributes of the former President's usage of Lewinsky-era "truth"? And have she and Dr Cullen fallen pray to the same vice in defending the indefensible?
- Murray Menzies

David Benson-Pope can defend his position until the cows come home, but for this Kiwi the old wives' tale still rings true: "There's no smoke without fire".
- Grant Howard

I am sorry for Benson-Pope because I think that he is a good man. One cannot teach for 25 years without making some mistakes, especially if you are a disciplinarian. Unfortunately, a number of people of both sexes delight in seizing on an indiscretion. Having been a teacher myself for 25 years I can sympathise with anyone in this predicament.
- John Howard

At last the Labour Party has found a worthy successor to Helen Clark.
- Lindsay Mayo