www.waynemapp.co.nz
BYE BYE MR BENSON-POPE
Nine Lives Exhausted
Integrity in political life is the essence of trust between people and politicians. People know that politics can
involve the art of spin. However, the one thing that everyone expects is that politicians do not deliberately lie.
Mr Benson-Pope has now paid the price for his dishonesty to both the public and in Parliament.
I had the opportunity to be one of National’s speakers in the Wednesday General Debate. I focussed on drawing attention
to the numerous inconsistencies in Mr Benson-Pope’s explanations. I thought you might be interested in my speech.
A Political Public Service?
People on the left always think that politics permeates everything and everyone. This is why they politicised the public
service. It is extraordinary that they would do that, is it not? If members want proof, there is an advertisement that
says “Do you want to work on issues that are at the forefront of the New Zealand political agenda?” That is an
advertisement for the New Zealand public service – a place that has traditionally been politically neutral. What do
people on the left want to do? They want to politicise the public service.
Repeat Performance
Let me say to Mr Benson-Pope that the country has made its mind up about him and does not believe the Minister. The
reason why is because the Minister has a reputation for not telling the truth. Invariably the truth has to be extracted.
That is what happened over his former teaching predilections over tennis balls, and now it is happening all over again,
is it not?
Freudian Slips
Yesterday, in Parliamentary questions, he denied having discussions with his staff member Mr Hurring about Ms Setchell’s
employment. We now know that was not a true statement because it was contradicted by his own answers today and, of
course, his Freudian slips on radio.
He said today in the House that Mr Hurring had had several telephone conversations on 28 May and 29 May – five
conversations in total.
Sidestepping the Question
The Minister was asked directly by Mr Brownlee if he had had discussions with Mr Hurring. He did not answer ‘yes’ or
‘no’, all he said was “I refer you to the report by Mr Iain Rennie.” I have read that report and I presumed the Minister
was referring to paragraph three or maybe paragraph seven. But there is absolutely nothing in the report at all that
says anything about discussions between the Minister and Mr Hurring; it is silent on that particular issue and the
Minister knows it, and he did not answer. I say to the Minister “Did he speak to Mr Hurring or not?” or are we expected
to believe that there was not a single word over two days, with five telephone conversations between Mr Hurring and the
department, that there was not a single word between Mr Benson-Pope and Mr Hurring? In truth, the newspapers, and
indeed, Mr Benson-Pope said he did know the calls were being made. I have to ask the Minister how he knew. Did he just
divine this out of thin air? The truth is Mr Hurring must have told him, so why did he give that answer in the House
which simply referred to the State Services Commission report?
Passing the Buck
In the discussions with Mr Logan, which are referred to in the report, are we really expected to believe that all he
said – the only thing that he said – was “it’s all your decision”? What was the context of that particular statement?
Was it about, for instance, something like a conservation reserve? We know it was not that; it was about an employment
procedure and there must have been other things that were actually said. I suspect that what was really said was
something like this: “I am concerned about that employment. I don’t want it to happen.” – but, as some kind of rider -
“of course, it’s your own decision.” It is all a bit like the television series House of Cards where a similarly
sinister Minister Francis Urquhart would always say to a proposition put to him: ‘Well, you might think that, but I
couldn’t possibly comment’.
Time to Go!
Let me say to Mr Benson-Pope that he is not half as slick as the slippery Mr Francis Urquhart. This country has already
made up its mind about Mr Benson-Pope. People say he does not tell the truth. They say he should go.
Dr Wayne Mapp
For more information on National visit www.national.org.nz
To join the conversation with John Key visit www.johnkey.co.nz
Visit my website for more information at: www.waynemapp.co.nz
ENDS