KEY POINTS:
So, David Benson-Pope is out of his ministerial office and banished to some cupboard with the rest of the backbenchers. Benson-Pope and his political aide, Steve Hurring, warned the Environment Ministry over their appointment of Madeleine Setchell, the bedmate of John Key's media strategist, as that ministry's media
spin doctor.
Their intervention got Setchell fired. But that action made it inevitable Benson-Pope was fired too (okay, he resigned - but he was clearly pushed) and the hapless Hurring will be looking for new work as well. But despite the indignant clucking of "political interference" by Wellington's chattering classes, Benson-Pope and Hurring's concerns are entirely legitimate. Everyone inside Parliament knows all the media staff associated with any government are highly political and it is just naive for any departmental boss to think they can employ media spin doctors for their ministers when any such appointee shares the same pillow as the enemy after hours.
But the reason why Benson-Pope is a goner is because he said he knew nothing about the matter when the evidence now shows he discussed it in a meeting with the ministry's chief executive. It also has transpired that at least four phone calls were logged between his office and the ministry on the matter. How he thought he could deny he'd had a conversation with the CEO on the matter is incredible when it would be obvious to even the dumbest among us that the CEO would contradict him if asked. The silly thing is that there was no need for him to deny or fudge it in the first place. If he had just said that he had as he didn't believe it was appropriate to have a media officer representing him who had such close links with the leader of the National Party.
After his initial denial, Benson-Pope belatedly confessed he told his CEO that while it was up to him to appoint staff, the appointment would make it difficult for Benson-Pope to speak openly and in confidence with Setchell when he knew that she was a partner of Key's press officer.
His position was not only stating the obvious, but more importantly, politically defendable. So while Benson-Pope could argue that he didn't actually lie about his involvement, the earlier omissions about this conversation with his CEO were intended to mislead.
And that's why he was screwed.
The other concern about his actions, which other commentators have deftly avoided, is that it does make you wonder how much he omitted over the earlier allegations of student abuse when he was a teacher.
At that time he denied he'd done anything wrong, even when a number of students came forward to back up the allegations. The police, predictably, swept the whole thing under the carpet, but for most of us there was far too much smoke for there not have been fire.
You'd think given that background, Benson-Pope would have been completely frank and straight about this latest incident as soon as it happened. His less-than-forthright explanations have now reinforced that he's just a bit suss when it comes to telling the truth about things. On that basis alone, he had to go.
But this does raise the whole question of senior aides who serve politicians. It's complete nonsense to pretend the media staff employed in the public service and in ministers' offices are politically neutral civil servants. Senior media staff in parliamentary and ministerial positions are employed to promote and articulate the government's political line. If these media people state the job is not political, then they are either deluding themselves or plain stupid. These media appointments are paid six-figure salaries for their hustling and political skills.
The American system is far more transparent where there is no hypocrisy about these appointments. When every new administration comes in to power, there is a clean-out of all the top posts in the White House and in Congress, as well as in all of the departments. All of these heads and aides serve at the pleasure of the political masters.
The whole point of a government, when it receives the mandate of the people, is to have the right to pursue a political agenda and have all of their departments' bosses, and their political and media functionaries committed to this project. I have never believed people can serve a political agenda with enthusiasm as required when they don't believe in the political cause.
In reality, the pretence of neutral civil servants serving whatever administration is governing creates a powerful elite outside the political process that is untouchable, and I would argue serves itself.
Why shouldn't Benson-Pope have the heads of his departments appointed by himself, and all the media people approved by him? After all, if any minister loses his or her job, why shouldn't these people go down with him?
Benson-Pope was totally within his rights to speak to his CEO about the appointment. What is more surprising is that the CEO didn't understand there would be a problem with Setchell. If there was any real accountability, the CEO should be going, too.
Funny isn't it, how the only survivor out of this mess will be the "neutral civil servant" who caused the problem in the first place.
