State Services Minister Trevor Mallard yesterday introduced the Incis police computer debacle into the row about former Police Commissioner Peter Doone and the role of Prime Minister Helen Clark in his downfall.
Incis was a $100 million computer system being developed under Mr Doone's watch. The then National Government was frequently attacked by Labour over Incis cost overruns, and the system was eventually dumped.
Mr Mallard - in an apparent attempt to deflect attention away from attacks on Helen Clark - has already accused Mr Doone of being drunk on the night of an incident that led to his resignation in 2000.
Mr Doone and his wife, Robyn, deny the claim.
In Parliament yesterday Mr Mallard tied the two issues in a question to Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen, who was answering questions on Helen Clark's behalf.
Mr Mallard asked him: "Is it consistent with Government policy that commissioners of police should, after drinking for four hours and driving in a car with its lights off, when stopped by a young constable, intervene when that constable approaches the car with a breath tester in order to test someone who has been drinking - is that appropriate behaviour for a commissioner of police, or is it consistent with the commissioner who brought us Incis?"
The question sparked uproar in the House before Dr Cullen replied that it was not policy.
He also said: "In relation to the actual reports that occurred at the time, the Police Complaints Authority concluded that on the evidence available, no excess blood/alcohol levels were involved, but it went on to state that the commissioner's action in interacting with the constable in the way that he did that night was undesirable."
Act MP Richard Prebble said yesterday it was "outrageous" that Mr Mallard was able to put questions to another minister designed to damage the character of a private citizen.
Meanwhile, the Doones said in a statement that neither of them had been drinking for four hours on the night their car was pulled over. They were "appalled" that Mr Mallard used parliamentary privilege to attack them with incorrect allegations.
They pointed to a consultant physician's estimate of what their blood alcohol levels would have been that night based on the amount of alcohol each had said they consumed.
They also said the constable had clearly stated that he never said, attempted or indicated any intention to breath test Robyn Doone.
But the police report into the incident by then Deputy Commissioner Rob Robinson said of the constable: "His statement indicates that he had a road safety focus and his objective in making the vehicle stop was to talk to the driver.
"That he took with him his passive breath testing device ... is indicative of his knowledge and commitment to the high priority of drink-driving enforcement upheld by police."
Mallard drags Incis into Doone affair
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