The timeline of the Todd Barclay scandal is interesting, not just because it shows how long the National party was able to cover-up what looks like criminal behaviour by one of their MPs, but also because it shows just how often Bill English changes his story.
The scandal started at the beginning of 2016, when an incident involving Todd Barclay and long time staff member Glenys Dickson, reportedly being an illegal recording, occurred at a National party electorate office in Gore.
On Sunday, Stuff reported:
Melanie Reid has also written a good timeline at the end of the article, which I’ve carried on:
June 2017
The text from Bill English to electorate chair Stuart Davie saying the "settlement was larger than normal because of the privacy breach” and had to be “part paid from the Prime Minister’s budget to avoid potential legal action" blows up in National’s faces.
Tuesday 20 June
Bill English tries to dismiss reporters by claiming seven times that he couldn’t recall if Barclay had told him about the recording.
Barclay said that he ’did nothing wrong’ and also denied that he had made a recording or had spoken to the Prime Minister about it.
English confirms that he gave a police statement about the matter but he would not be releasing it to reporters.
Four hours later Bill English tells reporters Barclay had in fact told him as the Deputy Prime Minister that he had made the recordings. English’s staff then handed out copies of his police statement from April 2016. The statement shows that Barclay was lying and he called a press conference where he said ”sorry if any of the answers I gave this morning were misleading in anyway” and “I should not have been as specific in my comments to the media today about the allegations.”
Police also issue a statement regarding their closing of the Todd Barclay investigation which makes excuses for why they didn’t pursue the matter. Nobody except the National party and their propagandists pretend to believe that there's a lack of evidence.
Wednesday 21 June
The internet explodes and Barclay resigns, still claiming that he did nothing wrong. There is outrage that he will remain in the seat until the election and receive $80,000 of taxpayer’s money. Bill English claims that it was Barclay’s decision to resign even though the Prime Minister's chief press secretary, Julie Ash and Paula Bennet were seen leaving Barclay’s office prior to the decision.
It was also revealed that Todd Barclay invented complaints about staffer Glenys Dickson, which he claimed he forwarded onto Parliamentary Services. However the general manager of Parliamentary Services, David Stevenson, had written to Dickson stating that no complaints existed.
Police say they'll take another look at Todd Barclay secretly recording a staff member and decide next week whether to reopen the case.
English claims in the House of Representatives that he approached police about the matter.
Thursday 22 June
Bill English claims that nobody realised Todd Barclay secretly recording a staff member might be a crime. After the teapot tapes scandal, only the right wing propagandists pretend to believe him.
The right wing launches a diversion involving Awataha Marae and Labour party volunteers.
Winston Peters lays privileges complaints about Bill English misleading the House.
Friday 23 June
Bill English continues to deny that there has been a cover-up. People start calling for him to resign.
Saturday 24 June
Bill English claims that the tape might not exist. English also makes the excuse that he’s not a lawyer and that’s why he allowed Barclay to mislead reporters for over a year.
Sunday 25 June
English admits that Barclay offered to play him the tape recording.
Monday 26 June
Bill English is delighted that the America's cup is taking the focus off the National party's attempted cover-up of the Todd Barclay scandal.
Tuesday 27 June
Police reopen their investigation into Todd Barclay.
It's reported that intercepted discussions in the Clutha-Southland MP's electorate office included talk of "sex and drugs".
Monday 3 July
It’s reported that the Independent Police Conduct Authority received a complaint about police handling of the original Todd Barclay investigation.
Tuesday 4 July
Documents released under the Official Information Act show that taxpayers paid for Todd Barclay’s legal advice.
Friday 7 July
Todd Barclay is reported to not be working as an MP and has gone into hiding.
Police also release information to the Green party through the official information act confirming they are investigating National Party board member Glenda Hughes over her role in the Todd Barclay saga.
Friday 14 July
It's reported that Todd Barclay unjustifiably attacked his local council because they didn’t send a representative to a meeting with Paula Bennett and failed to apply for tourism infrastructure funding.
Saturday 15 July
The Prime Minister’s Office and Parliamentary Services reportedly made false allegations against a Stuff reporter, Rachael Kelly, who they claimed had been intimidating staff at Todd Barclay’s office. Video evidence shows that the allegations are entirely untrue.
Tuesday 18 July
The IPCA won’t pursue the complaints about the Police’s handling of last year's investigation into embattled Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.
Tuesday July 25
Todd Barclay returns to Parliament.
Tuesday 1 August
Winston Peters reveals that Bill English sent more than 450 text messages to Glenys Dixon. English refused to answer questions claiming it was outside his ministerial responsibility. English had previously told media he didn't know much about the alleged secret recordings.
Monday 7 August
Bill English says he has no record of the alleged 450 texts he sent to Glenys Dickson.
Saturday 26 August
Graham McCready says he will take Todd Barclay and Bill English to court over the taping scandal if the police don't.
Tuesday 29 August
Just released OIA documents show that an advocate for Bill English successfully lobbied the Police to have the Prime Minister's involvement scrubbed from files previously released to media. Bill English had stated that he had been entirely open about his involvement.
Wednesday 30 August
It's reported that the Ombudsman will investigate the police over their handling of the Barclay saga. The IPCA decided not to look into the matter.
Friday 14 September
Disgraced Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay is selling his Queenstown, Arrowtown house and leaving New Zealand on Tuesday to seek employment opportunities in London. Barclay remains on his full $165,000 a year salary, earning over $3000 a week before tax even though he won’t be working as an MP. There is no information on whether the Police investigation is still active or if they have allowed Barclay to leave.
The scandal started at the beginning of 2016, when an incident involving Todd Barclay and long time staff member Glenys Dickson, reportedly being an illegal recording, occurred at a National party electorate office in Gore.
On Sunday, Stuff reported:
Barclay affair: What the board knew
The National Party President Peter Goodfellow and the board allowed Todd Barclay to be selected as a candidate for the upcoming election despite knowing that he was clearly unsuitable to be an MP.
Very detailed written accounts of the now disgraced MP's behaviour had been provided to the board and the candidate selection committee before they allowed his nomination to go forward.
Melanie Reid has also written a good timeline at the end of the article, which I’ve carried on:
June 2017
The text from Bill English to electorate chair Stuart Davie saying the "settlement was larger than normal because of the privacy breach” and had to be “part paid from the Prime Minister’s budget to avoid potential legal action" blows up in National’s faces.
Tuesday 20 June
Bill English tries to dismiss reporters by claiming seven times that he couldn’t recall if Barclay had told him about the recording.
Barclay said that he ’did nothing wrong’ and also denied that he had made a recording or had spoken to the Prime Minister about it.
English confirms that he gave a police statement about the matter but he would not be releasing it to reporters.
Four hours later Bill English tells reporters Barclay had in fact told him as the Deputy Prime Minister that he had made the recordings. English’s staff then handed out copies of his police statement from April 2016. The statement shows that Barclay was lying and he called a press conference where he said ”sorry if any of the answers I gave this morning were misleading in anyway” and “I should not have been as specific in my comments to the media today about the allegations.”
Police also issue a statement regarding their closing of the Todd Barclay investigation which makes excuses for why they didn’t pursue the matter. Nobody except the National party and their propagandists pretend to believe that there's a lack of evidence.
Wednesday 21 June
The internet explodes and Barclay resigns, still claiming that he did nothing wrong. There is outrage that he will remain in the seat until the election and receive $80,000 of taxpayer’s money. Bill English claims that it was Barclay’s decision to resign even though the Prime Minister's chief press secretary, Julie Ash and Paula Bennet were seen leaving Barclay’s office prior to the decision.
It was also revealed that Todd Barclay invented complaints about staffer Glenys Dickson, which he claimed he forwarded onto Parliamentary Services. However the general manager of Parliamentary Services, David Stevenson, had written to Dickson stating that no complaints existed.
Police say they'll take another look at Todd Barclay secretly recording a staff member and decide next week whether to reopen the case.
English claims in the House of Representatives that he approached police about the matter.
Thursday 22 June
Bill English claims that nobody realised Todd Barclay secretly recording a staff member might be a crime. After the teapot tapes scandal, only the right wing propagandists pretend to believe him.
The right wing launches a diversion involving Awataha Marae and Labour party volunteers.
Winston Peters lays privileges complaints about Bill English misleading the House.
Friday 23 June
Bill English continues to deny that there has been a cover-up. People start calling for him to resign.
Saturday 24 June
Bill English claims that the tape might not exist. English also makes the excuse that he’s not a lawyer and that’s why he allowed Barclay to mislead reporters for over a year.Sunday 25 June
English admits that Barclay offered to play him the tape recording.
Monday 26 June
Bill English is delighted that the America's cup is taking the focus off the National party's attempted cover-up of the Todd Barclay scandal.
Tuesday 27 June
Police reopen their investigation into Todd Barclay.
It's reported that intercepted discussions in the Clutha-Southland MP's electorate office included talk of "sex and drugs".
Monday 3 July
It’s reported that the Independent Police Conduct Authority received a complaint about police handling of the original Todd Barclay investigation.
Tuesday 4 July
Documents released under the Official Information Act show that taxpayers paid for Todd Barclay’s legal advice.
Friday 7 July
Todd Barclay is reported to not be working as an MP and has gone into hiding.
Police also release information to the Green party through the official information act confirming they are investigating National Party board member Glenda Hughes over her role in the Todd Barclay saga.
Friday 14 July
It's reported that Todd Barclay unjustifiably attacked his local council because they didn’t send a representative to a meeting with Paula Bennett and failed to apply for tourism infrastructure funding.
Saturday 15 July
The Prime Minister’s Office and Parliamentary Services reportedly made false allegations against a Stuff reporter, Rachael Kelly, who they claimed had been intimidating staff at Todd Barclay’s office. Video evidence shows that the allegations are entirely untrue.
Tuesday 18 July
The IPCA won’t pursue the complaints about the Police’s handling of last year's investigation into embattled Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.
Tuesday July 25
Todd Barclay returns to Parliament.
Tuesday 1 August
Winston Peters reveals that Bill English sent more than 450 text messages to Glenys Dixon. English refused to answer questions claiming it was outside his ministerial responsibility. English had previously told media he didn't know much about the alleged secret recordings.
Monday 7 August
Bill English says he has no record of the alleged 450 texts he sent to Glenys Dickson.
Saturday 26 August
Graham McCready says he will take Todd Barclay and Bill English to court over the taping scandal if the police don't.
Tuesday 29 August
Just released OIA documents show that an advocate for Bill English successfully lobbied the Police to have the Prime Minister's involvement scrubbed from files previously released to media. Bill English had stated that he had been entirely open about his involvement.
Wednesday 30 August
It's reported that the Ombudsman will investigate the police over their handling of the Barclay saga. The IPCA decided not to look into the matter.
Friday 14 September
Disgraced Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay is selling his Queenstown, Arrowtown house and leaving New Zealand on Tuesday to seek employment opportunities in London. Barclay remains on his full $165,000 a year salary, earning over $3000 a week before tax even though he won’t be working as an MP. There is no information on whether the Police investigation is still active or if they have allowed Barclay to leave.
