Robertson GrantGRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central): For the last 18 months the current Prime Minister of New Zealand has been at the centre of a cover-up. He has known that one of his MPs covertly taped one of his staff members and that that MP went on to mislead dissemble and not tell the truth about what had happened. The Prime Minister of New Zealand knew this. He knew it from the beginning of last year and he has done nothing to bring that member of Parliament to account. What is more when the Prime Minister of New Zealand has been asked directly about what he knew about what Todd Barclay had done he has not told the truth. On 1 March last year Bill English was asked on the radio what he knew of the reasons for staff resignations in Todd Barclay's office and whether he had personally spoken to any of those staff. Mr English answered: No." That was on 1 March. On 21 February we now know that the Prime Minister of New Zealand texted the then electorate chair of the National Party in Clutha-Southland to tell that man Stuart Davie that Todd Barclay had indeed recorded his staff member in a covert manner.The Prime Minister has not told New Zealanders the truth about what happened in Todd Barclay's office. He has dissembled he has avoided answering questions and he has failed the basic test of a Prime Minister in this country. Honesty is the very least that New Zealanders can expect from their politicians and all the more so from their Prime Minister and Mr English has completely failed on that account. When he was given the opportunity to talk to police in April last year he told them that Mr Barclay had indeed told him that he had recorded Glenys Dickson. When he then had the opportunity to see that document that police statement released as part of an overall police Official Information Act release Mr English made sure his statement was withheld. This is not a Prime Minister who wants to be open or transparent. This is not a Prime Minister who was being honest with New Zealanders about what has happened.It makes no difference that Todd Barclay has left today. This is about Bill English and Bill English's credibility to be Prime Minister because for politicians it is not about what happens when something is exposed by the media and what you then do. It is about whether you do the right thing at the time that you know about it. It is not a sign of credibility to come forward only when you are being exposed by the media. It is not a sign of credibility or leadership to change your mind within 3 or 4 hours yesterday because you worked out you had been caught out and found out. Those are not the actions of a real leader or a Prime Minister and they are not the actions of someone whom New Zealanders can trust.The Prime Minister has broken the basic bond with New Zealand people of the trust that they should have in him. He did not tell the truth about what he knew. He stood by an MP who has told lies. He has allowed a staff member of 16 years to be bullied and covertly recorded out of her job and even yesterday he wanted the issue to go away instead of actually fronting up to New Zealanders about what he and his protégé have done. This is not a leader. This is a person who has become Prime Minister and now that he is in that role he is cruelly exposed to New Zealanders as someone who does not have the fundamental capabilities and attributes that they need in their Prime Minister—that is that he would be straight-up with New Zealanders that he would show leadership and deal with people who break the law rather than try to cover it up.The last 24 hours have taught New Zealanders a lesson. This is a squalid shambles as the Fairfax editorial said today and as other commentators have said this has now cast great doubt on Bill English's credibility. At this election it will be about a contest between a leader in Andrew Little who is straight-up and tells New Zealanders how it is and Bill English who has lied on behalf of his MP."