Moral Panic - Child Sexual Abuse
	Focus on People Dianne Espie and the Glenelg Health Camp
	The Nelson Mail June 17 2004 Dyson denies allegations of cover-up over abuse claims Child Youth and Family Minister Ruth Dyson has been accused of ``being economical with the truth'' to protect the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister over sex abuse allegations at the Glenelg Health Camp in the late 1980s. National MP Katherine Rich yesterday accused Ms Dyson of ``covering up'' the pair's involvement in the handling of the first complaints of sexual abuse from the Christchurch camp. Mrs Rich believes the Government has lied about the dates the allegations were first received, and that it tried to blame the previous National Government for the lack of an inquiry. But last night Ms Dyson denied covering up anything, saying it was in ``no one's best interests'' to hide information on such a serious allegation. ``I've got nothing to hide,'' she said. ``CYF is still looking for information and if they find correspondence with Michael Cullen's name on it, I'll put it in the public arena.'' A spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said he had no recollection of receiving advice on the allegations. Last month, ACT MP Deborah Coddington accused former Christchurch doctor Dianne Espie of committing and misdiagnosing sexual abuse at the Glenelg camp. Dr Espie has rejected the allegations as totally untrue and very distressing. Mrs Rich told Parliament yesterday that ``invasive internal examinations'' by the health camp doctor occurred as early as 1983, and by 1989 the then Social Welfare Minister, Mr Cullen, had been alerted. However, neither Mr Cullen nor the then Health Minister, Miss Clark, ordered an inquiry into the complaints. Mrs Rich said Ms Dyson was covering up information relating to the initial complaints because it would reflect poorly on Dr Cullen and Miss Clark. Ms Dyson has repeatedly told Parliament that government records show the first allegations surfaced in 1993 - when National was in power - and it was up to the then Associate Health Minister, Katherine O'Regan, to order an inquiry. Mrs Rich told Parliament yesterday that Ms Dyson's statements were ``carefully worded answers'' which were ``an attempt to hide the real situation''. Ms Dyson said last night she had made it clear that Glenelg files were still being searched, and if correspondence was found that showed allegations made before 1993, she would make it public. ``It doesn't matter to me if it was Katherine O'Regan or Michael Cullen or Helen Clark who received those allegations first. What we should be considering is whether those families were treated correctly .'' She said the questions raised related to a single person, and that case could still be taken to the Medical Council or the Health and Disability Commissioner.