'Pompous prat' shrugs off abuse

The insult directed at David Benson-Pope by United Future this week - a "pompous prat", he was called - was mild compared to what some in his own Labour camp used to call him.

"Brownshirt" was his occasional nickname when he made unpopular decisions as chief whip, such as refusing leave for MPs.

He left that job in March when Lianne Dalziel's sacking fortuitously opened up a Cabinet post.

Since then, he has never been far from controversy, shepherding the Care of Children Bill through the House, the momentous Maori fisheries settlement legislation, the aquaculture legislation, Resource Management Act changes and now the Civil Union Bill.

Mr Benson-Pope said he had never heard the "Brownshirt" nickname but the Government whip could "never be anything but tough".

He made his mark early in the debating chamber as a highly combative player. "A bit of a pain," as one MP put it.

His personal style is direct. He appears not to care whether he is liked or not, and is not afraid to offend. Another colleague even suggested he enjoys causing offence.

He ripped into Destiny Church's march against the Civil Union Bill by invoking parallels between the protesters' black-shirted uniforms and Nazism.

He has got right under the skin of United Future leader Peter Dunne for suggesting that because all its MPs were voting against the Civil Union Bill, the party was not allowing a conscience vote.

He repeatedly refused to apologise to Act's Rodney Hide after accusing him of saying "dopey nigger" in the House when Mr Hide insisted he had actually said "don't be negative".

Soon after, and only in his second term in Parliament, he was elevated to the Cabinet. It nearly caused a revolt among those in caucus who thought Damien O'Connor, a minister outside Cabinet, deserved the job.

Mr Benson-Pope is clearly part of Labour's left.

As a Dunedin MP, and former Dunedin City councillor for 14 years, he was close to party heavyweights Michael Cullen and Pete Hodgson, and he enjoyed the patronage of Speaker Jonathan Hunt.

Despite the polarisation over his appointment, and perhaps hopes in some quarters that he might fail, he clearly hasn't, and has shown why Prime Minister Helen Clark had confidence in him.

He was a minister who found his footing immediately and, despite grappling with complex and difficult issues, has managed them adeptly.

He attributes that to local government experience, his maturity, and part of his work as a teacher for 24 years in risk-aversion management.

He cut his political teeth on student politics, and was once national president of the Student Teachers Association.

Mr Benson-Pope, 54, is married with 14-year-old twins.

He holds the portfolios of Fisheries, Associate Minister of Justice, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission and Associate Minister for the Environment.