David Benson-Pope
Encyclopedia
David Henry Benson-Pope (born 1950) is a New Zealand Labour Party
politician who sat in the Parliament of New Zealand
from 1999 to 2008. He formerly served as a cabinet minister
.
Benson-Pope, born in Dunedin
, received his tertiary education at the University of Otago
and at the Christchurch College of Education
. While studying education he was president of the Students' Association at the college, and National President of the Student Teachers' Association of New Zealand. Working as a teacher, he also became involved in the teachers' unions. Benson-Pope is married with two twin children, Henry Benson-Pope and Sammy Benson-Pope.
, successfully contesting the Dunedin
South electorate for the Labour Party
.
In 2002, Benson-Pope became his party's Senior Whip
. In 2004, in the wake of a reshuffle, he entered Cabinet
, becoming Minister of Fisheries, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission, Associate Minister of Justice, Associate Minister for Education (schools) and Associate Minister for the Environment. He oversaw the drafting of the legislation for civil unions in New Zealand
.
After the 2005 General Election
Helen Clark
appointed Benson-Pope as Minister of Social Development and Employment and Minister for the Environment. In 2007 he resigned the Ministerial posts and resumed the role of a backbencher representing the Dunedin South electorate. In 2008 he sought to recontest the Dunedin South seat on behalf of the Labour Party but was not chosen as the Labour Party representative for the seat.
in the 1980s. The allegations included charges he stuffed a tennis-ball in a student's mouth and taped his hands to a desk, threw tennis balls at students' heads, caned a student until he bled, and smacked a student in the face with the back of his hand on a school camp, making his nose bleed. Benson-Pope strongly denied the accusations, but Helen Clark temporarily relieved him of his portfolios. When the Speaker
Margaret Wilson
decided that the privileges committee had no case to address, Benson-Pope regained all his former portfolios apart from Associate Minister of Education.
In November 2005 the media reported that no prosecution would take place – despite police finding there was a prima facie
case that he had assaulted students.
Investigate
magazine in February 2006 published further allegations of improper behaviour during Benson-Pope's teaching days. It said he forced students to stand outside for lengthy periods in their nightwear for misbehaviour during a school camp in the 1980s. An update on the magazine's website also claimed that Benson-Pope had entered the female dormitory and showers in 1997 while 14-year-old girls were undressed. Benson-Pope dismissed the allegations as nonsense.
Parents complained about these and other incidents, and the school headmaster at the time says he discussed the complaints with Benson-Pope. Benson-Pope issued a public statement on 28 February 2006 saying that although a discussion had taken place, he had not seen a written complaint until the day before. He apologised in Parliament to his former students, while maintaining he had done nothing inappropriate.
'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."
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New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
politician who sat in the Parliament of New Zealand
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
from 1999 to 2008. He formerly served as a cabinet minister
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
.
Benson-Pope, born in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, received his tertiary education at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and at the Christchurch College of Education
Christchurch College of Education
Christchurch College of Education was a college of education founded in 1873 located in Christchurch, New Zealand until it was amalgamated with the University of Canterbury and formed a new Faculty of Education with the university’s School of Education. It houses the Henry Field Library....
. While studying education he was president of the Students' Association at the college, and National President of the Student Teachers' Association of New Zealand. Working as a teacher, he also became involved in the teachers' unions. Benson-Pope is married with two twin children, Henry Benson-Pope and Sammy Benson-Pope.
Member of Parliament
In October 1986 Benson-Pope successfully stood for election to the Dunedin City Council. He entered national politics during the 1999 electionsNew Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
, successfully contesting the Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
South electorate for the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
.
In 2002, Benson-Pope became his party's Senior Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. In 2004, in the wake of a reshuffle, he entered Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
, becoming Minister of Fisheries, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission, Associate Minister of Justice, Associate Minister for Education (schools) and Associate Minister for the Environment. He oversaw the drafting of the legislation for civil unions in New Zealand
Civil unions in New Zealand
Civil union has been legal in New Zealand since 26 April 2005. The Civil Union Act to establish the institution of civil union for same-sex and opposite-sex couples was passed by the Parliament on 9 December 2004. The Act has been described as very similar to the Marriage Act with references to...
.
After the 2005 General Election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
appointed Benson-Pope as Minister of Social Development and Employment and Minister for the Environment. In 2007 he resigned the Ministerial posts and resumed the role of a backbencher representing the Dunedin South electorate. In 2008 he sought to recontest the Dunedin South seat on behalf of the Labour Party but was not chosen as the Labour Party representative for the seat.
Allegations of misconduct as a teacher
In May 2005 Benson-Pope stood down from cabinet after allegations that he had physically abused students while teaching at Bayfield High SchoolBayfield High School, Dunedin
Bayfield High School is a co-educational high school in Dunedin New Zealand. It was established in 1961 and is located on the corner of Musselburgh Rise and Shore Street, adjacent to the Otago Harbour. The school currently has approximately 700 students....
in the 1980s. The allegations included charges he stuffed a tennis-ball in a student's mouth and taped his hands to a desk, threw tennis balls at students' heads, caned a student until he bled, and smacked a student in the face with the back of his hand on a school camp, making his nose bleed. Benson-Pope strongly denied the accusations, but Helen Clark temporarily relieved him of his portfolios. When the Speaker
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
Margaret Wilson
Margaret Wilson
Dame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:...
decided that the privileges committee had no case to address, Benson-Pope regained all his former portfolios apart from Associate Minister of Education.
In November 2005 the media reported that no prosecution would take place – despite police finding there was a prima facie
Prima facie
Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first encounter, first blush, or at first sight. The literal translation would be "at first face", from the feminine form of primus and facies , both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a...
case that he had assaulted students.
Investigate
Investigate (New Zealand)
Investigate is a current affairs magazine published in New Zealand. It has a conservative Christian editorial standpoint and has published a number of controversial articles. Many of the more notable articles have been critical of policies and members of the centre-left Fifth Labour Government of...
magazine in February 2006 published further allegations of improper behaviour during Benson-Pope's teaching days. It said he forced students to stand outside for lengthy periods in their nightwear for misbehaviour during a school camp in the 1980s. An update on the magazine's website also claimed that Benson-Pope had entered the female dormitory and showers in 1997 while 14-year-old girls were undressed. Benson-Pope dismissed the allegations as nonsense.
Parents complained about these and other incidents, and the school headmaster at the time says he discussed the complaints with Benson-Pope. Benson-Pope issued a public statement on 28 February 2006 saying that although a discussion had taken place, he had not seen a written complaint until the day before. He apologised in Parliament to his former students, while maintaining he had done nothing inappropriate.
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 NationalNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
's parliamentary leader John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
, 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
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
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."
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External links
- NZ Parliament website details on David Benson-Pope
- Labour Party website entry for David Benson-Pope
- Timeline: Benson-Pope career controversy, from TV ONE