Samuels scandal a confusing imbroglio

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

The sophisticated macho entertainer, businessman and fisherman, fresh from the bright lights of Australia, met the strong-willed teenager in the remote Matauri Bay settlement.

He was in his mid-forties, experienced, and twice married.

She was a young woman brought up by her adopted mother Kathy Miller, but still in touch with her drug-addicted, bigamist, birth mother, Beverly Rako.

They lived together, she became pregnant with his child, she had an abortion, and they separated.

It might sound like the blurb on a Mills and Boon romance, but Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels' brief affair in the mid-1980s has turned into one of the most sordid political scandals to reach the public eye in this country.

Mr Samuels has stepped down from Cabinet temporarily this week after allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour were referred to the police.

His political future remains in the balance.

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday refused to reconfirm he would get his Cabinet seat back if he was cleared of all allegations.

Even if the primary claims are proved false - that he had sex with someone under the age of 16 or had sex with a girl under 20 who was in his care and protection - he has been politically wounded.

The police should be able to piece together the key facts; the girl's birth date - thought to be October 27, 1968 - and the date of the abortion. But after that the elements that have emerged so far are murky and contested by both sides.

The girl herself has yet to speak publicly and will be a crucial witness in establishing when the sexual encounter started.

Dover Samuels has vigorously denied any illegal action in the matter.

It is not even clear if the girl agrees to her birth mother, Beverly Rako, and Mrs Rako's cousin Rodney Tregerthan, levelling allegations that the sex occurred before the girl's 16th birthday.

Jules Waikare, a friend of Mr Samuels, told the Herald yesterday that she had an affidavit, signed in January, in which the alleged victim said she wanted nothing to do with the accusations.

It did not mention her age at the time of her relationship with Mr Samuels because it was not an issue.

It was in January that Mrs Rako, clean for eight years after 30 years on heroin and 10 years in jail, began making accusations to Labour MPs, including Chris Carter, in a way which Mr Tregerthan now admits almost bordered on extortion.

As Mr Carter recalls it, "I repeatedly asked her what she wanted and she repeatedly said she wanted to front up to the minister.

"I tried to organise that; each time she failed to show. I became very suspicious what her motives were, which is why I raised it with the police in January and again in March when she made contact through the Whangarei Sexual Abuse centre.

"Dover reported to me that he had dealt with the matter by placing it in the hands of the police."

Labour also informed parliamentary police because they were worried Mrs Rako would attempt extortion.

Diplomatic Protection Squad police were on alert in Waitangi on Waitangi Day where Mrs Rako did confront Mr Samuels. Mrs Rako claims Mr Samuels agreed to set up a trust to help the girl. It was never done.

Jules Waikare said the girl's January affidavit and other documents had been passed on to the girl's lawyer, Rotorua-based Murray McKechnie.

She said Mr Dover's former lover, now 31, was in hiding and still did not support the accusations.

She said the adoptive mother, Kathy Miller, could recall the girl spending her 16th birthday at home with her because of the unusual present she wanted - a hair cut.

Shortly after that the girl was "bribed" by Beverly - with money and freedom - to come and live with her.

"She was with Beverly for approximately 12 months. After that she returned back home to Kathy for approximately a couple of days. That would have taken her into early 1986 - she was 17."

She said one of Kathy Miller's brothers would not put her up so she was camped on the beach.

"That was where Dover found her and felt sorry for her and took her home."

She was employed to fish.

She said Mr Samuels was separated from his current wife Jacqui at the time.

The Herald understands the Samuels married in April 1984 in Auckland.

"The first occasion we saw [the girl] was on Boxing Day in 1986," Jules Waikare said. The abortion, "which none of us knew about," would have occurred by then.

"She was a happy bundle of joy," showing off and driving vehicles around.

In February 1987 the girl was still in Matauri Bay working for Mr Samuels, she said.

She said when they went to see the girl to get the affidavit last January she threw her arms around Kathy Miller and sobbed.

"She was looking over her shoulder thinking that Beverly was lurking somewhere.

"Our main job was to get her protection because she wanted no part of what Beverly wanted to do, she did not want any part of it and it was making her a mess. She was terrified of her mother."

She said the girl had contact only with Kathy.

"Beverly has a grudge against Kathy because Kathy brought all her children up and all Beverly's children love Kathy and all Beverly's grandchildren love Kathy," she said.

"If [Beverly and Mr Tregerthan] are so concerned, where were they all those years ago?"

But Mr Tregerthan said on Friday that he had spoken to the girl a couple of times that day.

"She is still stressed, still frightened," he said.

Mrs Rako would make a full statement on Sunday.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg."

In the meantime he had approached Act leader Richard Prebble, who originally forwarded the claims about Mr Samuels to Prime Minister Helen Clark, seeking help with legal costs. Mr Prebble had agreed to seek help from Helen Clark for Mr Tregerthan's fees.

The head of the police inquiry, Detective Superintendent Jim Millar, has said it would take at least a fortnight.