17 Oct 2017

Bill English police interview released

From Checkpoint, 5:12 pm on 17 October 2017

Police have released an audio version of the statement then-Prime Minister Bill English gave during the original investigation into former National MP, Todd Barclay. 

They launched a fresh investigation into the allegation Mr Barclay secretly recorded an electorate staffer, after new information came to light this year.

When revelations about the secret recording first emerged, Mr English said there had been no evidence such a recording existed. 

He later revealed Mr Barclay had offered to play him the recording, but said he had not denied anything but merely passed on to police what he knew when asked. 

The substance of the April 2016 police interview had already been made public, but this is the first time the recorded interview itself has been released. 

Some of Mr English's personal details such as his address and cell phone number have been redacted. 

In it, Mr English said he had known Clutha-Southland electorate staffer Glenys Dickson for about 16 years, having been the MP there before Mr Barclay. 

He said he had also had a text conversation around 10 February that year with Stewart Davy, who had been the electoral chair. 

He said Mr Davy had wanted to know whether the allegations around recordings about Ms Dickson leaving her position were correct. 

He confirmed that police records of the text conversation appeared accurate. 

He said he had become aware of the allegations of recordings when talking face-to-face to Mr Barclay, who told him he had recordings of her criticising him. 

He told police he could not recall who had raised the topic, but that the conversation was in Wellington somewhere.