David Benson-Pope

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Parliamentary photo of David Benson-Pope

Parl.	Electorate	List Pos.	Party
46th	Dunedin South	54	Labour
47th	Dunedin South	36	Labour
48th	Dunedin South	23	Labour

David Henry Benson-Pope (born 1950) is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party, and is currently a cabinet minister.

Benson-Pope was born in Dunedin and educated at the University of Otago and at the Christchurch College of Education. While studying education, he served as President of the Students' Association at the college, and National President of the Student Teachers' Association of New Zealand. Working as a teacher, he also became involved in the teachers' unions. Benson-Pope is married with two children who are twins named Henry Benson-Pope and Sammy Benson-Pope.

1 Career in politics
2 Allegations of misconduct as a teacher
3 Allegations of "sexual deviancy"
4 Political offices
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Career in politics

In October 1986, Benson-Pope successfully stood for election to the Dunedin City Council. In the 1999 elections, he entered national politics, successfully contesting the Dunedin South electorate for the Labour Party.

In 2002, Benson-Pope became his party's Senior Whip. In 2004, in the wake of a reshuffle, he entered Cabinet, becoming Minister of Fisheries, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission, Associate Minister of Justice, Associate Minister for Education (schools) and Associate Minister for the Environment. He was responsible for drafting the legislation for civil unions in New Zealand. After the 2005 General Election Benson-Pope was appointed Minister of Social Development and Employment and Minister for the Environment.

[edit] Allegations of misconduct as a teacher

In May 2005 Benson-Pope was stood down from cabinet after allegations that he physically abused students while teaching. The allegations included charges that he stuffed a tennis ball in a student's mouth and taped his hands to a desk, threw tennis balls at students' heads, caned a student until he bled, and smacked a student in the face with the back of his hand on a school camp, making his nose bleed. Benson-Pope strongly denies the accusations, and was temporarily relieved of his portfolios. When the Speaker Margaret Wilson decided that there was no case for the privileges committee, Benson-Pope was reinstated to all his portfolios bar the Associate Minister of Education.

In November 2005 it was reported that he wasn't to be prosecuted despite police finding that there was a prima facie case that he had assaulted students.

Investigate magazine in February 2006 published further allegations of improper behaviour during his teaching days. It said he forced students to stand outside for lengthy periods in their nightwear for misbehaviour during a school camp in the 1980s. An update on the magazine's website also claimed that Benson-Pope had entered the female dormitory and showers in 1997 while 14-year old girls were undressed. Benson-Pope dismissed the allegations as nonsense. (NZ Herald)

Parents complained about these and other incidents, and the school headmaster at the time says he discussed the complaints with Benson-Pope. Benson-Pope issued a public statement on 28 February 2006 saying that although a discussion had taken place, he had not seen a written complaint until yesterday. He apologised in Parliament to his former students, while maintaining he had done nothing inappropriate. (Radio New Zealand) (Newstalk ZB)

[edit] Allegations of "sexual deviancy"

In the December 6, 2006 edition of Investigate magazine, journalist Ian Wishart published fresh allegations about Benson-Pope. He claimed that Benson-Pope was an active member of a Dunedin-based BDSM club, engaging in "sexual torture sessions."^[1] When asked about his activities, Benson-Pope responded "when would I have time for [that]?" but has not explicitly denied the allegations. A member of the club said that Benson-Pope was not a member.^[2] Wishart alleges that such activities are incompatible with Benson-Pope's role as Minister of Social Development.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has said the story was part of an "ongoing smear campaign". ^[2]