Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on Benjamin Doyle fronting up to the press after social media incident

Green MP Benjamin Doyle has conceded it was naïve to not delete old social media posts with sexually suggestive captions, as suggested by the party.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters spearheaded criticism of the private Instagram posts - escalating a barrage of extreme, violent threats against Doyle.

Doyle has returned to Parliament - after taking leave since the onslaught.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacks today's statements.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry soapers here with politics. Hey Barry, good afternoon. Right,
so we've got a couple of politicians in hot Water
of sorts today and both speaking.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, Hamish Campbell, who's the Island mp ilm MP. He
took over from Jerry Brownly. You know, he's a part
of a sect called I think it's called the Two's
or something two by two, and I mean he was
brought up clearly in this sect, and it's an association

(00:31):
more than a cultivated covered sect by the sound of things.
But they do have meetings in their houses and you know,
to suggest that he has something to do with what
they're being investigated for, that's some sexual offenses. You would,
you know, talk about drawing a long bow. I mean,

(00:52):
I was brought up a Roman Catholic, for goodness sake,
and you know there's plenty of transgressions in that church.
And to say that because I belonged to the church
that somehow was involved in that, I think is stretching
the bow far too far, and that's what's happened I
think in this case. Moving on to Benjamin Doylele he

(01:12):
of course goes by those pronouns they and them. He's
fronted up at Parliament today. He said that he in
fact was naive. He was told by the Greens to
take down the posts that have caused defense, but he
chose not to. And he said the term bussy, which

(01:33):
has been made a lot of meaning a man's or
not a man's an anus, He said it was a basicly,
was never said in a sexual context when it came
to him. It was simply a nickname that he had.
So they have just fronted up to the media and
they gave their view of how they've been treated here they.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Are I knew coming to Parliament that I would face
prejudice and homophobia. I knew that people would not like
the way I dress or speak, or the causes that
I advocate for. I knew that I would be under scrutiny,
as is appropriate for every single person that has the
privilege of this position. That I could never imagine or
prepare myself to be attacked in such a baseless, personal

(02:18):
and violent way, that my life and that of my
child would been threatened, That poisonous, transphobic hate and imported
culture wars would be leveled against me and my community.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Threats can't be countenanced. Anywhere. But I'm sorry, I think
he's been the author of his own misfortune by his naivety.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yes, naivity maybe, But are these two cases not similar?
And that you've got you've got insinuations, haven't you of
untoward things and young people? You've got two MPs And
you've actually got no hard evidence either on either case.
So are we what are we doing here?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Well? You know this is the way politics is sort of,
you know, it's the press gallery chasing these people.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
All right, Let's move on then, something more important. Wool
and having their day in the sun today.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yes, indeed they It most certainly is and the wool
growers will be very happy about it. From July one,
government agencies and there are one hundred and thirty of them,
they'll be required to refurbish with wool. Now standing in
for the Minister of Agriculture Nikolair Gregg clearly got more
than she asked for and extalling the virtues of wall

(03:31):
in Parliament this afternoon.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
Last year, the sector contributed a half a billion dollars
to the economy and this policy will help create jobs,
drive economic growth in our rural communities and encourage innovation
in our building material industry, and I note missed to
speaker how much you very much enjoy that the walls
of your office are currently covered in wool. Yeah, they

(03:53):
stinking supplement.

Speaker 5 (03:55):
You expected.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Goodness?

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Perhaps he needs them clean now. The Greens are tam
of the pool. She's come out swinging, hasn't she?

Speaker 2 (04:09):
What you know that this pole that came out and
it doesn't turn up any surprises at all. Of course,
most people feel safe when they see the police, and
forty eight percent of Green voters indeed said that they
feel safe for the bigger presence of the police. And
Wonnington Central, of course, where she's the MP, sixty six

(04:31):
percent felt more safe with the police on the beat.
And in Auckland, and this is Chloe Swarbrick's electorate, sixty
two percent said that they felt more safe. So safety,
the safety felt by an overwhelming majority of keywis you'd
think would be enough for the Green MP time of
the pool to zip it on that front, but she

(04:52):
doubled down in Parliament and.

Speaker 6 (04:54):
Is held by a rural malty who have been surveiled
and tormented and prized and raided by the New Zealand
police force. It is held by people who grew up
in neglected and poverished communities who live under the constant
suspicion and surveillance of the New Zealand police. And it

(05:15):
is shared by women who go to the police with
complaints of domestic and sexual violence, who are not believed
and not taken seriously until it is too late. That
is not a minority, a group of people that as
a group of people I am proud to represent, and
I don't care if I'm the only person in this
house with the balls to represent those communities.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Interesting, but look on the crackdown on gangs, those little
puppies removing their patches in the face and the like
doesn't rest well with her either.

Speaker 5 (05:49):
The intentional, relational, methodical work that the police were doing
in communities alongside gang leaders. They have decided to throw
that out and say to police officers, we're not going
to increase your pay, but we will make you be
at war with people within your communities.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
Poor little puppies.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
The greens where the girls have balls apparently, well.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Maybe she's non binary. I'm not sure.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Maybe I don't think that gives you balls.

Speaker 3 (06:22):
What it gives you these days.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
Very good.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
News talks sen your little correspondent.

Speaker 3 (06:31):
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