Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Deputy Leader

08 August 2005

Clark deceptive and misleading on motorcade

National Party Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee says Helen Clark has been deceptive and misleading about the speeding convoy that has landed her minders in the dock facing serious driving charges.

"The public want to know why Helen Clark didn't take responsibility and wasn't honest from the very beginning.

"Instead, she invented a story that no one now believes, especially in light of the evidence presented in court last week.

"Police driver Simon Vincent has completely contradicted the version of events presented by Ms Clark," says Mr Brownlee.

"And the disgraceful thing is that we might never know what Helen Clark really knew or saw because she has so far refused to release the statement she gave to police.

"No other member of the public would expect to be excused from appearing in court on this matter, and no other member of the public could get away with such contradictory public statements on such a serious matter," says Mr Brownlee.

Different stories:

"I was pretty focused on what I was doing in the back seat, actually, so I think really questions like that should go to the police." - Helen Clark, New Zealand Herald, 22 July 2004

And a driver says:

"I could see her. She was seated behind her driver and she was leaning over to her left, you know, more into the centre of the vehicle, so that she could look ahead.

"She was looking in my direction past her driver. I don't know if she could see the speedo or not, but she was definitely looking in my direction. I was looking at her, her face, in the glimpses that I could see.

"She was smiling and appeared to be enjoying the ride, is how I'd put it. "She would have been most definitely aware as to what was going on, both in front of her and around her.

"I cannot recall seeing her engrossed in any paper work or anything like that." - Lead driver Constable Simon Vincent, Timaru District Court, 5 August 2005.

ENDS

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