'Frivolous' signing spurred complaint about painting

Wellington doctor Graham Sharpe says he complained to police about Prime Minister Helen Clark because she was "frivolous" about signing art she did not paint.

Speaking today from Brisbane, where he is attending an anaesthetists' conference, Dr Sharpe said he made the complaint after Helen Clark's response to the affair.

"There was a comment by a lawyer saying that this may well be against the law and the Prime Minister just attempted to brush it off as something frivolous," Dr Sharpe said.

It was an issue of integrity.

"I firmly believe that if another member of the public had acted in a similar way they would be in a degree of trouble."

Dr Sharpe said that if an art student submitted for an exam a piece of art he or she had not done but had signed, the student would be in trouble.

So would a doctor who signed a form that allowed a patient to get a benefit, even if the doctor did not benefit financially from it.

He said his move was not politically motivated. He had been a member of the Labour Party in the 1970s and was a member of the United Party, but had never been to any meetings.

He had been asked by letter by United Future leader Peter Dunne to be a list candidate before the last election but after a little correspondence, had turned down the offer.

Mr Dunne said he had held "very preliminary discussions" with Dr Sharpe but the issue did not go further.

"I knew him only vaguely, met him a few times."

Mr Dunne said he could not recall precisely how the conversation came about, but he thought Dr Sharpe had initiated it.

Dr Sharpe was surprised at the controversy following his complaint.

"Maybe I'm just a bit naive but it seems to me that in the furore that the substantive issue is being lost."

Dr Sharpe rejected suggestions his complaint was vexatious.

"If people are saying that I'm wasting police time they are now saying I'm committing an offence, but it is not frivolous.

"It's an issue of political integrity."

Politicians needed to take stock of how "lowly they are regarded by the public" and that the public expected them "to be squeaky clean".

But, he said: "If the police found there was no need to take further action then I accept that and it's perfectly fine by me."

- NZPA