Dyson Charged DIC - Dyson Background – Jane Young On Dyson – British Storms – Race Relations Conciliator – Versace
Downunder
DYSON CHARGED DRUNK IN CHARGE: Associate ACC Minister Ruth Dyson has resigned from 4 portfolios after blowing in the bag
at – what TV3 understands – was twice the legal limit. Dyson was stopped meters from her home in central Wellington and
charged DIC. Dyson did not talk to reporters. PM Helen Clark says she is very sorry for what happened. Norm Hewitt
wasn’t commenting today. Last week Dyson criticised the Lion’s skipper for playing with a broken arm. Dyson was working
on papers alone – and supping on wine - till 12.15am before being stopped at 12.30am in a routine stop by police. Helen
Clark says she thinks Dyson may have had three glasses of wine.
DYSON BACKGROUND: Ruth Dyson is not known as a hard drinker. When she left Christchurch she turned down a drink
according to her electorate officials. Some of her electors say she should have resigned. Others say she shouldn’t have.
Clark has stuck by Dyson this time after not standing by Dover Samuels. Finance Minister Michael Cullen says it is a
sign of following strict standards. National are disappointed that Dyson may get her job back. Bob Harvey heard from
reporters and said the resignation was clearly a conscience decision.
JANE YOUNG ON DYSON: I understand the meeting this morning between the PM and Dyson was very emotional. Clark had to
accept the resignation. Clark saw this as embarrassing following the Norm Hewitt comments. The two go back a long way
together. Clark sees this in a Westminster style way. Working late at night with a drink on the table is not that
unusual in Parliament. You are looking at a stressful job. I am not excusing it but that is the reality of the unreal
environment around here. Don McKinnon once let down Muldoon’s tyres to stop him driving home when drunk.
BRITISH STORMS: Britain has been seriously disrupted by storms. A day to be remembered for a long time. Greater than the
great storm of 1987. Busy roads turned into waterways. Some drivers spent most of the day stuck in traffic. Kent and
Surrey badly struck. Motorways blocked all over the south. In the north it is little better. East Sussex has been
flooded four times already this year. This afternoon a break in the rain came as a relief.
RACE RELATIONS CONCILIATOR: A report recommending the closure of the Race Relations Conciliator’s office has caused a
row. The report, from Justice officials, has suggested getting rid of the Race Relations Conciliators office.
Conciliator Rajen Prasad is defending his offices work. The associate justice minister says it is high time the office
is reviewed. The recommendations relate to the fragmentation of resources, says Margaret Wilson. In the last three years
more than half of the complaints were from Pakeha about positive discrimination. Tau Henare is no fan of the office.
VERSACE DOWNUNDER: Versace’s managing director is in NZ to open a store. He says Kiwis aren’t very fashionable. He says
Versace will bring glamour to NZ. NZ fashion experts are not completely in agreement says the editor of Fashion
Quarterly.