Defending Erin Leigh

Trevor Mallard’s assault on Erin Leigh’s professional reputation represented all that is wrong with this Government.  It was a shockingly inappropriate attack on a young woman from a bullying Minister.  It was designed to scare any other public servant from telling the truth, with the clear implication they would also have their professional reputations smeared under the protection of parliamentary privilege.

I recommend people read this post made on Saturday about the extent of political involvement in the Environment Ministry with Heather Simpson writing the Ministry’s communications strategy.

Now as we know Mallard basically called Leigh sad and incompetent. The article on Saturday revealed how both her boss and the then Ministry CEO defended her work.  In fact she was labelled by her former boss as the best comms person he had ever worked with.

TV3 reveals that it is not only those two who have praised her work. Trevor failed to check with his own colleagues:

She says Ministers, like Rick Barker, Pete Hodgson, and outgoing MP Paul Swain all personally congratulated her for work in the past.

And:

Another 2005 reference from the Government’s Climate Change Office reads;

“Brilliant just brilliant, it sounds like I am really gushing about her, but she really was fantastic.”

Of course Helen Clark will do her normal routine with Trevor and in public pretend to be concerned with his behaviour, and in private congratulate him for performing the role she keeps him around for.

Also on the issue of Clare Curran and Erin Leigh, people must read Chris Trotter’s SST column.  Not only is it bloody funny, it also points the finger at David Benson-Pope as likely for being behind the Clare Curran revelations as he is battling her for his seat.  An intriguing notion.