Clark’s double standards in Doonegate Rodney Hide

Friday, 29 April 2005

ACT leader Rodney Hide today accused Helen Clark of double standards in Doonegate.

"Helen Clark accepted former Labour immigration minister Lianne Dalziel's resignation for making untrue statements to the media and the public.

That's exactly what Helen Clark has done -- not once but five times. And her purpose was not to cover her tracks as with Dalziel but rather to knife the Police Commissioner in the back. “Helen Clark never expected her dishonest and underhand role in this affair to become public. It has taken years of legal wrangling and considerable expense to flush her out,” Mr Hide said.

Lianne Dalziel resigned after she gave the media a lawyer's letter detailing a 16 year-old Sri Lankan girl's bid to stay in New Zealand, then made untrue statements to the media about how it was made public. Upon accepting Ms Dalziel's resignation, Helen Clark said; "I advised Lianne Dalziel that in my view a clear line had been crossed between a statement which was misleading and a statement which was untrue.

She then tendered her resignation, which I accepted." "What is good enough for Lianne Dalziel ought to be good enough for Helen Clark. Like Ms Dalziel, Ms Clark has made untrue statements to the media which then made them public," Mr Hide said.

"Helen Clark confirmed for the media the damaging story that Police Commissioner Peter Doone had interfered with a rookie officer going about his duty. She was in a position to confirm or deny the story because she was in possession of the Robinson report, which at the time was confidential.

“Helen Clark has done exactly what Lianne Dalziel did -- not once – but five times -- and with far more damaging consequences. “I call upon Helen Clark to release the transcripts of her conversations with the Sunday Star Times -- or is there even more that she is hiding?

ENDS

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