KEY POINTS:
Madeleine Setchell was appointed communications manager in David Benson-Pope's ministry, but lost her job after three days following a call from the minister's office. Setchell's partner is National Party leader John Key's chief press secretary, Kevin Taylor.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says cabinet minister David Benson-Pope did not get involved in the sacking of civil servant Setchell, saying a Beehive staffer had acted on his own initiative.
National Party leader John Key says he cannot believe that the minister did not give instructions. What action should the PM take on the Setchell sacking? Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Alan Wilkinson
No integrity. Not smart enough even to hide that on his third strike out. What has he done to keep his job? That's the real mystery. Must have sunk his teeth pretty deep into Helen's enemies sometime somewhere. Hard to see how it makes a scrap of difference if he stays or goes. The same mob still rule with the same bad beliefs, dependencies and powers over us.
Andy
To "Auckland", this woman was offered a lesser job then the one she was employed for. She was sacked after she declined to take the lesser job.
Debs
I believe this woman has a case for constructive dismissal - and they will rue the day they took this action against her. Human Resources Practice 101: Thoroughly research all possible conflicts of interest and ask probing questions prior to offering a contract. Like duh!
Bruce
Clark is in a no-win situation. She has a minister with no creditability. Sticking with him on this issue sends a contra message that it does matter who your partner is when applying for public sector jobs. In this case Steve Hurring, the Labour party lacky must be dismissed, and Benson-Pope with him. It's the only way to eliminate the issue stone cold, and at the same time remove a minister who is more and more becoming a liability to the Labour Party. Naturally she won't because she lost her judgement back in 2003 and there are no suitable replacements within Labour.
Ian (Auckland)
Sack Benson-Pope without delay. I do not believe a word he says. He has been such a liability to the Govt. I don't believe I am alone when I say he cannot be believed. You cannot have a minister that the public do not trust or believe. The only reason the PM does not sack ministers like Benson-Pope is that she has no one capable of replacing him. So much for having competent, trustworthy and representative people in Government. What a joke the NZ Govt has become under a 3rd term Labour led coalition. If Clark doesn't deal with him then she herself is just as bad. Give him the red card sin-binned until the next election when hopefully the Dunedin people will be far more prudent and not elect him.
Adam
You have to be able to trust your cabinet ministers. Mr Benson-Pope has been involved in several different episodes where his honesty has been called into question and with good reason each time. I'm not sure if this is a hatchet job or just poor decision making on his part but I feel that now is the time for him to go. My hope is that he does the honourable thing and goes without any further fuss.
Bernhard Schrag
By the comments it seems Helen can do nothing right at the moment. For all those who call for a National Government look up the history books and refresh your memories about the excesses of the Muldoon Government and the User pay policies of Ruth Richardson. What are John Keys policies? We have not heard much of any substance from him. It appears only overseas people support New Zealand hence the strong dollar. So choose wisely or NZ will end up like Argentina.
Political Realism
The only thing that surprise me about the Setchell affair is the apparent surprise about what happened and the lack of any action over it. The government can scarce afford to censure or indeed take any action about any MP right or wrong and when was the last time that any minister been held responsible for anything that goes wrong in his department. Ministerial responsibility has long gone.
Rossnz
Re Setchell sacking: Some time ago the PM told the obedient media that her husband was off limits when it came to political debate. Why then did she use him on National Radio as an example to justify the sacking of Setchell?
JR (Wellington)
Obviously the woman should be allowed the job to which she was originally appointed. In an honest, open and democratic society, the Public Service should be representative of all New Zealanders - not mindless, overpaid government lackeys. Its unfortunate but under Labour this simple ideal is just a very bad joke.
Lin (Hamilton)
Benson-Pope should go. There's no way he's innocent.
Graham Ross
I think that David Benson-Pope continues to be an arrogant liability for the Labour Party, and yet again his protestations of innocence seem at best hollow. It eludes me as to why Helen Clark continues to give this cabinet minister so much leeway. He continues to be a prize asset for the National Party in their roll towards an election victory. No wonder they half-heartedly call for his resignation. He fails to appreciate the matter of perspective on the part of the electorate. If he had any integrity, and understanding of his leader's predicament, he would resign from cabinet.
John Smith
The political affiliation and occupation of your partner should have no bearing on whether you can be employed in a Government job. We do not imprison people for the crimes of their partner/spouse, children or parents. Likewise, it is unfair to penalise someone for the political affiliation of a family member. If someone had leaked confidential information to a partner that would be a different matter. Likewise, if someone attempted to frustrate the aims of the government because their own political beliefs (or those of a family member), then there could be a case for terminating employment. It is the first step on a slippery slope to dismiss partners of those who work for the opposition. A few steps later and it will be a requirement all civil servants to be paid up members of the Labour Party. The Prime Minister needs to defend democracy rather than look after the sectional interests of her party.
Allan
A new president has been set and will be an advantage to the next incoming party, which is a good thing as it will allow the removal of inappropriate people in the PSA who have tainted leanings. I would not want to be a property owner in Wellington when the slaughter begins.
Tane Wilton
For all the right-wingers on this site calling for a return to integrity in government, I've got a book you might like to read. It's called The Hollow Men and features an interesting character by the name of John Key, along with a couple of his close National Party mates. Have a read. You might like it.
Auckland
Well we can see where this is heading, more untruths. This women was not fired but because of a conflict of interest she was offered another job. Look at the way National and Mr Key will deal with people in the rural sector employment discussion paper and see if you like the idea of being sacked for no reason at all within 90 days with no recourse. Lets get real. Do you think it wise to have a person who way inadvertently supply information of a political nature as fuel for the opposition? The situation would be untenable for all concerned.
Ian Morine
To Margot: Sending Head Girl Helen and David Benson-Pope to Iraq would only give the terrorists and anarchists that have prospered and flourished under the most stupid (yet again) of "right-wing world control" polices - the Iraq War, more targets to aim at. I am sure our soldiers would be fighting/dying in Iraq had John Key or Dr Don before him, had been in power then. None of us can forget the "gone by lunchtime" comment either!
Susan
How gullible does this Prime Minister think we are? Politics under this government have become so dishonest. New Zealand can only hang its head as it continues to accept this, and do nothing about the country's slide downwards.
Steve (Wellington)
Benson-Pope should resign or be pushed. If he is an elected MP there should also be a by-election. But I assume he's not, most of them in there on their power trips are list MPs and accountable to no one.
The public service is non political and that needs to be upheld for the benefit of NZ's already watered down democracy that has emerged under MMP and in particular under this current regime.
Jeremy
Of course he should go and the whole of Helengrad should go too. When he said "We won. You lost" some misguided people thought that Cullen was speaking to the parliamentary opposition. Now only the truly wanting still fail to see that he was talking to the whole of NZ. This is the worst government in living memory and one which is doing untold damage to NZ.
Wideawake
Anyone with National Party connections or leanings who sets out to spy on a Labour government and report back to John Key or his assistants should not even be considered for a job in a sensitive department. Same goes in reverse if National should become the government.
Martin
Of course Benson-Pope got his people to dispatch the women. After all would you like a spy in the crucial role of strategic communications manager. My question is why did she go after the job? Surely she knew the Labour party would get rid of her as soon as they found out.
Chris
The Government should resign and a snap election called immediately. For too long have we had to endure this culture of zero-accountability from the Prime Minister's office down. The public is becoming more and more aware of Labour's tactics. An inquiry into the matter will no doubt clear everyone of any wrongdoing and a coat of whitewash will be liberally applied.
Matt (Auckland)
The PM must think we have all come down in the last shower. Even if the staffer made the approach of his own initiative (which does not square with Benson-Pope's prevarications last week) why, when Benson Pope was later approached by Logan, did he not simply say that his staffer was completely out of line and that as far as he was concerned the matter should be put to bed there and then? There is no way the poor woman would have been fired in those circumstances. Benson Pope's mits are all over this and he should dismissed immediately. His mean-spirit is written all over his face.
Auckland
It's about time the PM did something that shows guts and has an impact on our society: enforce the EEO and rid of Benson-Pope. He admitted himself, I believe, he knew about the case, even if he wasn't directly involved. Who was the nut who started this and had this poor lady sacked? I don't see how this conflict of interest came about, I doubt she was spying or similar. How can we let this go without cracking heads? This is a huge breech of just plain employment standards, its shocking. Firing someone because their husband is working for national. That lady should go to court and milk it. PM, someone's head has to roll, heck if we fired everyone who's husbands were supporting something else, we'd have very few people employed.
Robert Hughes (Rotorua)
He's guilty and should be sacked. It seems every one else is deserting the sinking ship but old HC still hangs on in hope.
Dan
So National and the media have the knives out for Benson-Pope again. Anyone who thinks they're doing it out of concern for fair play and democracy is either gullible or hopelessly biased. National have identified him as a weak link and, like any other pack of dogs, are trying to take him down. It helps that he looks a bit odd, makes it easier to get the public behind the campaign doesn't it? The media will love this. If I was him I'd be very concerned about the possibility of an opposition party insider being privy to the inner workings of my office. Another shameful smear campaign from the utterly shameless.
Stevo
Another example of this government being more controlling and overbearing than the communists in Beijing. I suppose it has to be expected given it consists of trade unionists, lawyers, school teachers and other pseudo academics. Bring over Frank Banimarama to orchestrate a coup and get rid of this arrogant mob of non-working buffoons.
Margot
Helen and David should do the honourable thing and resign immediately. Then move to Iraq.
Garry
This is the same Helen Clarke who shifted responsibility relating to the high-speed motorcade incident from herself to the police and had them take the fall on her behalf. This continuous apportioning of blame has become an obvious trait of her regime and is quite transparent to the general public. It sets a very poor example to our community.
Janine (Auckland)
Helen, do me a favour, get on with running the country and sort out the big issues we are having with this that actually affect everyone and stop wasting your time making small talk about employment relation issues. You are supposed to be a figurehead not a gossip.
Murray
Surely yet another prima facie instance of the 'no one is to be accountable' philosophy of this degenerate and fading government. Madame Trostsky has to hang on the her minister as she knows full well that to cut him adrift will in all probability mean the swift and certain fall of her government. Watching this government hang onto life is like watching a wounded animal. There is only one humane thing to do. Come on Helen, be a man, dissolve Parliament and let National take over before this country reaches the point of no return. Question time could actually be worth watching this week.
Isabel Witty (Christchurch)
In politics there is always "Pillow Talk" to be taken into consideration; perhaps as a new politician, Mr Key, does not take that as believable also.
JP
When are we going to see integrity returned to government? Each time our Prime Minister protects someone from her inner circle at the expense of integrity in government she undermines our already low level of respect for the office she holds. How much can this man do and get away with? Obviously quite a lot!
Peter (Tauranga)
What else would we expect from Commissar Helen and Benson-Pope. Distortions & spin! That's all this government is capable of trotting out for incompetance. Roll on the election!
Arron
Does anyone seriously believe Clark when she says Benson-Pope had nothing to do with the sacking? She has shown her honesty when signing paintings done by someone else, and her integrity by dropping the cop drivers in it when they were under orders to speed to get her to a rugby game. This whole Labour cabinet is rotten to the core and should be made to stand trial for treason for the damage they have done to this country.
Bill
How much longer is this dictating Prime Minister going to protect her ministers. She is making a mockery of democracy in this country. She will do anything to hang on to power. Time for her and her cronies to go.
D (Auckland)
Isn't it time we got rid off that old man anyway? Surely Auntie Helen can't just let him off the hook, again.
Mark
I find it difficult to believe that someone as controlling as Mr Benson Pope was not aware of this situation right from the beginning, and I am sure my view is held by the majority of New Zealanders. More to the point, so what if this person is in a relationship with someone of a certain political persuasion, that doesn't mean they are that person. You have people like columnist Jane Clifton being partnered with Murray McCully or investor Jenny Morell with Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard but they don't have conflicts of interest - well at least not in the eyes of those of us who have two eyes rather than one. This is dirty politics at its dirtiest and just the sort of arrogance this Labour government is now known for. I wonder if Key's press secretary had been in a gay relationship whether Labour would have objected?
From Nelson
It's understandable that the PM is anxious, perhaps nigh on desperate, to end this matter, hard, fast and expeditiously as it can be done. However, both her stance and her latest statement are substantially undermined when one reflects back to the weaselly performance of Benson Pope and his "details" comment to TV news. Surely there can be no percentage in attempting to pass this off as yet another instance of a staffer's cock-up? If it was true, it must beg the question of who's actually running the place? Is that what the PM and Labour really want? The enormous implications of this issue reflect shockingly on the actions, credibility and especially on the policy of Commissioner Mark Prebble and Department Head Hugh Logan, and the truth must be stated as to the actual involvement of Benson Pope, and perhaps even the PM's department. The whole ethic of this Labour administration now appears to be wide open to question.
Paul (Albany)
Helen, The lump under the carpet is getting larger!
David Benson-Joke
What an absolute joke this idiot is! When was the last time there wasn't controversy around anything this idiot touches! What should Helen Clark do? Do what she always does, protect and makes excuses for her 'yes gang' stupidity. Helen Clark is fast turning into a joke, all she's doing these days is posing with sports teams (nothing to do with politics) and running around making up excuses for her pathetic MPs. span>
Ian Morine
Whoever employed this woman in the first place is the person that should be fired for total incompetence. Talk about asking for trouble - employing the "better half" of the press secretary for the opposition leader!
Carl Forster
Labour should resign and hold an election now. Too often during their three-year reign they have abused their power and had their hand in the taxpayer pockets. Also never once has a Labour minister been held accountable, and there have been numerous occasions. Not to mention all the PC policy that NZers did not want. This Labour government will go down as the most corrupt government NZ has ever had or seen. Time for an election now!
John (Wellington)
He should resign, or she should fire him. We're all sick of hearing about Benson-Pope's deceptions. It's a scratched record. He's not fit to represent the public in any capacity. Labour's sooo going to lose the next election, but only if Key gets rid of that bad odour, whats-his-name ... Ba Ba Bill.