Pubdate: Sun, 27 Jun 2010
Source: Sunday Star-Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2010 Sunday Star-Times
Contact:  http://www.sundaystartimes.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1064
Author: Jonathan Marshall

PHIL GOFF'S DAUGHTER BUSTED FOR DRUGS

Labour leader Phil Goff last night confirmed his daughter had appeared
in an Australian court after being caught with drugs in her bra - but
escaped a criminal record.

Sara Goff, 25, had her case called earlier this year at Downing Centre
Local Court after being nabbed with four Ecstasy tablets outside a New
Year celebration. She did not front in person but instead entered a
written guilty plea.

The Sunday Star-Times can reveal Sara Goff, an Agriculture and
Fisheries Ministry policy analyst, was stopped as she entered the main
entrance of the Fuzzy Field Days Festival dance party in north
Sydney's domain at 2.22pm on January 1 by Senior Constable Matthew
Pople.

"Police charged [Goff] with one count of possession of a prohibited
drug after allegedly finding four tablets, suspected of being
Ecstasy," New South Wales police spokeswoman Joanne Elliott confirmed.

Sara Goff told police during the search the dark-coloured pills
stamped with the letters "CK" were Ecstasy. "She was taken to the
police command post and cautioned." She was charged under New South
Wales' Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act.

She was one of 83 people caught with illicit substances by a
specialist police squad running a drug-dog operation at the dance
party. Large quantities of Ecstasy, amphetamines, cocaine, GHB and
cannabis were seized during the sting, a police statement said. Eleven
were charged with supplying drugs.

A Sydney court official told the Star-Times community magistrate Lee
Gilmour convicted Sara Goff, fined her $A500 and ordered her to pay
$A76 court costs.

Goff lodged an appeal, understood to be on the grounds that a
conviction would limit her ability to travel internationally, and New
South Wales District Court judge Ronald Solomon reviewed the case and
found "she had committed the offence, but dismissed it without
recording a conviction", said the court official.

Under New South Wales law a person convicted of possessing or using
Ecstasy can receive a fine of up to $5000 or can be imprisoned for up
to two years.

Court documents obtained by the Star-Times reveal "police asked the
accused where [the pills] were located and [she] said 'in my bra'."
The documents go on to state: "The accused was searched ... and she
removed from the left hand side of her bra a small clear resealable
bag containing four dark pills, embossed with 'CK'. Ad Feedback

"The accused was cautioned and asked several questions. In relation to
what the pills were she replied 'Ecstasy'. When further questioned as
to who placed them in her bra she stated 'myself'. The accused ...
stated it was her intention to 'consume them'."

The documents say Sara Goff was staying in Sydney's Rose Bay at the
time of the drugs bust but "has returned for NZ, in Sydney on
vacation". Yesterday she did not respond to interview requests from
the Star-Times about her arrest and court appearance.

Speaking at Auckland airport yesterday Phil Goff confirmed his
daughter's arrest but said he was confident she had never taken drugs.
"I can tell you something, that my daughter has never taken drugs,
never taken drugs. I'm not challenging this [court document], she was
discharged, she was not convicted.

"I'm not being naive as a father, I know she has not taken drugs apart
from the legal drug of alcohol. People do make mistakes in their
lives. Kids make mistakes in their lives."

Maf spokesman Iain Butler last night confirmed Sara Goff was still
working for the government department.

A former Hamilton Girls' High School pupil, she is one of three
children to the 57-year-old Mt Roskill MP who was justice minister
from 1999-2005 and corrections minister from 2007-2008.

News of his daughter's arrest has come at an unwelcome time for Phil
Goff, who replaced former prime minister Helen Clark as Labour leader
when she stood down in 2008. Polls have had him lagging way behind
National's John Key and a further drop was seen in popularity polls
last week amid revelations of Labour MPs misusing their ministerial
credit cards.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake