2007 Environment Ministry Allegations
In July 2007 Benson-Pope ran into further political trouble when it emerged that a political advisor in his office – the Labour Party's Trade Union Affiliate Vice-President Steve Hurring – made phone calls which led to the sacking of the Ministry for the Environment's newly-appointed Communications Manager. The issue revolved around her relationship with the chief press secretary to National's parliamentary leader John Key, despite the fact that she had "made a disclosure of her personal connections" during the appointment-process. (Under New Zealand's State Sector Act, ministers and their staff may not become involved in employment matters within their ministries, with the law placing on CEOs of ministries a "duty to act independently of Ministers in matters relating to decisions on individual employees").
After a week of intense pressure focusing not only on the allegation that his staff had acted improperly, but also that he himself had misled Parliament, the media and his Prime Minister about his knowledge and involvement, Benson-Pope offered his resignation from Cabinet at noon on Friday 27 July 2007.
The Prime Minister Helen Clark accepted the resignation, saying: "The way in which certain issues have been handled this week has led to a loss of credibility and on that basis I have accepted Mr Benson-Pope's offer to stand aside". An editorial commented "Not for the first time, he and the Government have been embarrassed less for what he has done than for his inability to simply say what he has done."
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Marian Hobbs |
Minister for the Environment 2005–2007 |
Succeeded by Trevor Mallard (after David Parker as Acting Minister) |
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||
| Preceded by Dr Michael Cullen |
Member of Parliament for Dunedin South 1999–2008 |
Succeeded by Clare Curran |
Read more about this topic: David Benson-Pope
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