English rejects cover-up claims
Police probe raised possibility of offence
Prime Minister Bill English has indicated Todd Barclay didn’t know his recording of a staffer’s conversations could be illegal until a police investigation was launched.
English revealed he told police in April last year that Barclay had confided he left a dictaphone running in his electorate office and had recordings of former staff member Glenys Dickson criticising Barclay.
Barclay, who had publicly denied taping her and refused to co-operate with the police, won’t seek re-election as Clutha-Southland MP in the September election.
Speaking to media in Auckland, English said during the dispute his advice to Barclay had been that “that wasn’t good behaviour”.
When a police investigation started it raised issues about possible offences and “I don’t think [it] had occurred to anybody that there may be some potential offence”, English said.
English said once there was an investigation established the possibility of an offence became clearer.
“But earlier on, for those who weren’t involved it was hard to know what exactly happened. There was no implication of behaviour that could be an offence.
“But nevertheless, whatever was part of the employment dispute, there was a police complaint [ and] the information I had I made available to police.”
It is illegal to intentionally intercept private communications you are not a party to.
After a complaint by Dickson, police investigated for 10 months but found insufficient evidence for search warrants and to press charges. They are now reviewing the case.
On Tuesday night Barclay said he “accepted” English’s police statement, and the next day announced he would stand down. He did not return a request for comment yesterday.
Yesterday English again rubbished cover-up claims by the Opposition, and said he had acted appropriately by informing [former electorate chairman Stuart] Davie and making his statement to police. He confirmed he did so after being contacted by both parties and clarified that he had been asked to speak to police. He had not reported the matter to police as he stated in Parliament on Wednesday.
Barclay’s Tuesday statement was the first time he confirmed he had said recordings were made. He denied he had recorded Dickson at the National Party’s Gore branch AGM in February last year, according to audio published by Newsroom.
However, yesterday English said delegates who reselected Barclay were “in full knowledge of the circumstances“.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters ramped up criticism of English, saying:
“He’s got to go, Mr English. He’s got to stand down, just like Barclay.”