Silent Clark an open target

Prime Minister Helen Clark frustrated the Opposition yesterday by saying very little over the speeding motorcade despite the conviction of two police officers and a civilian driver for dangerous driving.

But her decision also gave opposing MPs a free, undefended attack on her credibility.

And it put her under pressure in a Radio New Zealand debate last night, when she suggested people would have to wait for her view.

"I have plenty I would like to say in my autobiography and it will wait till then."

But she appeared to distance herself from any blame for the officers' conviction by saying, "They were in charge of a motorcade."

Helen Clark cited legal advice as being behind her decision not to comment on the verdicts, specifically the possibility of appeals as well as the convention of the executive not commenting on individual judgments.

Her spokeswoman was not even able to say whether, after sentencing and after the appeals period expires, Helen Clark would be prepared to address apparent discrepancies that arose during the trial in Timaru.

In her own statements last year she conveyed the impression she was unaware of the high speeds, which is at odds with the sworn testimony of Senior Constable Clint Vallender, who said she thanked him for the "heroic" ride at the end of the trip to Christchurch airport.

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee has been handling the matter for National.

He does not believe the issue has had quite as much impact on Helen Clark as Paintergate - she donated a painting for charity which falsely purported to be her work - but said that could be because people were getting used to her not accepting responsibility for things that were not good for her.

And he conceded that there might have been much more of a fuss had the motorcade from Waimate to Christchurch been speeding to get to the ballet rather than a Bledisloe Cup rugby match.

But the public would still find it hard to believe that the Prime Minister did not know she was speeding.

"Those guys thought they were doing the right thing and the Prime Minister didn't back them. That's hardly leadership.

"I'm convinced that if the Prime Minister had leaned over the front seat and said 'slow down' the driver would have done it."

Dr Brash is expected to avoid other than brief references to the issue unless Helen Clark attacks his credibility.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said last night the matter called into question "leadership credibility".

"You've got to be totally senseless and blind and deaf not to understand the speed of 172km/h.

"The public will know that this case is not fair. It's a dereliction of leadership."

WHAT THEY SAID

PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK:

I was pretty focused on what I was doing in the back seat, actually - asked if she was aware her car had been travelling at a potentially dangerous speed.

SENIOR CONSTABLE CLINT VALLENDER, GIVING EVIDENCE:

The Prime Minister passed the comment at the end of the trip that was a very heroic drive.

PRIME HELEN CLARK:

I didn't give any instructions to drive fast.

SENIOR CONSTABLE CLINT VALLENDER

[Helen Clark's press secretary] then spoke to the Prime Minister and after a brief conversation which I was not privy to, advised me that they needed to make the 16.50 hours flight.