Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Cor lummy! You'll need a solid stomach for the latest allegations out of Investigate Magazine HQ...

MP David Benson-Pope, Labour's former Associate Minister of Education and current Minister of Social Development (including the Child, Youth and Family Service) is accused of being a pervert. Again.

Investigate's breaking story involves some very adult allegations about Benson-Pope's after hours hobbies... Quite shocking if they can prove there's any truth in the detailed claims. No word yet on where he stands on the anti-smacking bill.

* Update: Investigate Online claims to have an audio recording of a phone conversation with members of the Dunedin adult club that Benson-Pope is alleged to have been connected with. The magazine's news forum claims one of the members admits lying to a journalist (ODT?) about links with the MP, denies knowing other key members of the group, and discusses combat measures for the leaked information.

David Benson-Pope has yet to made any public statement on the allegations, other than to ask "When would I have time for this?", and issuing legal warnings. The MP failed to turn up for his regular weekly interview with a Dunedin radio station, and has not returned calls to the local paper.