We can dish dirt too, says Cullen

Michael Cullen

The Government is threatening Opposition MPs who persist with the David Benson-Pope "shower girl" allegations that it has its own "dirt" on MPs and it will retaliate.

Acting Prime Minister Michael Cullen said yesterday the Government had received damaging information about six front-bench National MPs.

Dr Cullen, speaking on Newstalk ZB, singled out National's welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins, who has been one of the MPs leading the charge against Mr Benson-Pope.

"Judith Collins herself is more than a bit exposed on various stuff that has come to the Government over recent months," Dr Cullen said.

"If she keeps on pushing, then sooner or later somebody in the Labour caucus is going to retaliate."

Parliament resumes today after a week-long recess and the Government has been working hard to make sure the Benson-Pope saga, which saw a prolonged and damaging attack over the Social Development Minister's mishandling of allegations that he acted inappropriately while he was a teacher, has died down.

Yesterday was not the first time Dr Cullen has made allegations about Ms Collins - in November during a heated exchange in Parliament Dr Cullen said Ms Collins, a former Casino Control Authority chairwoman, had "ripped off the Casino Control Authority in respect of her expenses overseas".

Ms Collins told the Herald she was not easily bullied and Dr Cullen's tactics would not be successful.

"He needs to have some courage to his convictions. If he thinks he has got some truly exciting information, then he had better come out and say it in public, rather than hiding behind cowardly tactics of innuendo."

Ms Collins says she does not think Mr Benson-Pope is fit to be a minister because of misleading statements he had made to Parliament and to the public.

During the height of the attack on Mr Benson-Pope the Government also implied in Parliament that it had incriminating information relating to National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee's time as a teacher.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has not expanded on this, but has said those in glass houses should not throw stones. Mr Brownlee has said he has nothing to hide.

Dr Cullen said feedback suggested that people were sick and tired of what was increasingly seen as a witch-hunt.