Please, make it stop

Another sordid sex complaint has hit Labour, and yet another MP knows nothing.

Labour really are becoming awfully like Sgt Shultz.

The Labour Party has been hit with new allegations of sexual harassment, this time involving Young Labour volunteers in Christchurch.

Labour’s Secretary General Andrew Kirton was made aware on Wednesdayabout a case of alleged sexual harassment and a separate case of alleged sexual abuse in the Christchurch sector of Young Labour.

The alleged harassment occurred during last year’s election campaign period.

It is claimed a Young Labour volunteer in Christchurch sexually harassed another volunteer using an App after identifying them through a Young Labour Facebook group chat.

When asked about the allegations, Kirton said he was not prepared to comment as a police investigation was under way.

It is understood Kirton is aware that the sexual harassment claim involves an alleged known predator, while the sexual abuse allegation may involve an underage teenager.

Christchurch East Labour MP Poto Williams said she was unaware of any complaints and suggested it was a matter for police.

I think it is safe to say that Labour has systemic issue with sexual harassment and sexual assault going back years.

Poto Williams is also caught between a rock and hard place after lobbying hard to reverse the burden of proof in sex crimes.

Labour’s sexual violence spokesperson, Mrs Williams has called for radical reform of the sexual justice system which would see rape accusers believed by police as a starting point.

This would place the burden of proof on the accused – directly contradicting the philosophy of “innocent until proven guilty”.

Ms Williams said many victims of rape do not report it because they have little faith in the justice system.

She said the country needed to have a discussion about how to address that power imbalance.

“Now, I know that runs up against ‘innocent until proven guilty’, and that would be one of the issues that we’d really have to consider long and hard, but I’m of the view that we have to make some changes.”

Poto Williams said she didn’t yet know how the policy would be implemented.

Yet another Labour MP caught with a big yap that, when reality hits, is nowhere to be seen or doing the exact opposite of what they claimed when in opposition.

Mike Williams admitted to dealing with a similar complaint, then there was Darren Hughes, then the four from Waitawheta, plus another from several years ago, and now this one.

Looks like Labour really have entered into the #MeToo campaign and for all the wrong reasons.

-MetroNews, RadioNZ

This is truly weapons-grade troughing from Ron ‘Medals’ Mark:

National is accusing Defence Minister Ron Mark of misusing his position by using the Air Force as a taxi service and getting helicopter rides to his home in the Wairarapa.

Former Defence Minister and National defence spokesman Mark Mitchell says official information shows Air Force NH-90 helicopters and a B200 King Air aircraft have repeatedly been diverted to Mark’s home town, Masterton, “apparently to ferry the minister from his home to events around the country and back again.”

Mitchell said the flights were happening so often that locals were asking questions about it.  

“There is no Royal New Zealand Air Force base in Masterton, which suggests the aircraft are being sent from Ohakea Air Base for the minister’s personal convenience,” said Mitchell.

“Mr Mark has even used an NH90 to travel from Masterton to Waiouru and back in the same day – a three-hour trip each way by car.

“Why did he not save the taxpayer the cost and the NZDF the time and use a much cheaper Crown car instead? It’s happening so regularly locals are asking questions about it.”

At a time when the Defence Force was being asked to do more than ever and also being asked to tighten its belt, it was appalling that the Minister of Defence was using the Air Force as a personal taxi service.

“I want to know why the minister has either requested this service, or refused to decline it, as he would have known there is no way the flying hours, fuel and cost could be justified.

“This is an incredibly inappropriate use of Defence resources.”

Mark has issued a list of the flights he has taken and said he was acutely aware of the perceptions when taking NZDF flights.

Five flights are to or from Masterton.

“Each of the flights was taken to an official engagement. For two of the seven commitments I embarked and disembarked in Masterton. I live in Carterton.

“Please note one of these flights was a regular scheduled flight that would have departed with, or without me,” Mark said.

“On several occasions I have declined NZDF’s offer of transport.

“I wish to emphasise that none of these flights was for personal use. Please note that on a number of these flights I have been accompanied by NZDF officials, MPs from other parties, and/or media representatives. If at any point the Defence Force advises me that such travel is inappropriate or outside policy then I would naturally comply.”

Seppo cabinet members have be forced to resign for this sort of thing:

According to Politico, Tom Price, President Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services, has chartered jets at taxpayer expense at least two dozen times since May to attend conferences, tour healthcare facilities and conduct other official business. Politico estimated that cost at more than $300,000, easily 10 or 20 times what it would have cost Price to take commercial flights — as previous HHS secretaries typically did.

The explanation from HHS? Sometimes it’s not “feasible” for Price to fly commercial. Hey, he’s a busy guy. Places to go, people to see, things to do — just like countless U.S. executives who still manage to rely on commercial flights.

Those aircraft cost a lot per hour to operate, and necessitate ground crew for refuelling, tower crew for flight operations plus the flight crew. The costs are enormous when compared to a crown limo with one driver.

Ron Mark is just making excuses. He’s been busted again. How many chances does one man get?

-NZ Herald, LA Times

Credit: Luke

Labour have big problems because the media have now tracked down attendees. It is only a matter of time before the alleged perpetrator is identified.

Meanwhile we get daily reports now from people who were there and the reports are not pretty.

An eyewitness at the Young Labour party during the Waihi summer camp says it was a “recipe for disaster”, describing it as an unsupervised party where people were throwing up in toilets and in the bushes from excessive boozing.

And there was a giant walk-in fridge where anyone, including people as young as 15, could just walk in and grab any booze they wanted.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the public deserved to know the true nature of the event, during which a 20-year-old is alleged to have sexually assaulted four people aged between 16 and 18.  

“On the Saturday night, even before dinner, people were playing goon bag roulette with the clothes line, hanging a bag of cask wine and sitting underneath it and spinning the clothes line,” the man said.

“On the Sunday morning after the incidents occurred, people were vomiting in toilets and in the bushes and were not able to attend morning speeches because they were so intoxicated from the night before.”

He said partying was the unofficial purpose of the weekend, where about 60 people attended, including about 20 people under 18 and as young as 15.

“It’s been spun as a conference gone bad, but it was really a weekend-long piss up, with no supervision of young people.

“They chose that venue because it has a full-size walk-in chiller. A mountain of alcohol is absolutely correct. People could just go in and grab as much booze as they wanted. People were drinking within hours of arriving.”

That kind of belies Jacinda Arderns claims that she didn’t see anything. They were drinking within hours.

The man said that the young people at the camp had agreed not to drink or take drugs.

“But there wasn’t any supervision of any kind. It was an honour system, but there was no enforcement.”

People at the camp were told about a helpline they could call, but he said mobile coverage was so limited that the helpline was practically pointless.

​”They told us on the morning of day three to send a text, because it was more likely to get through.”

He said he did not witness any of the alleged offending, nor any drug use.

“I witnessed the [alleged] offender and a victim having a conversation. It seemed to turn a little bit nasty. It went from being quite a benign conversation to quite a tense situation.”

He said the next day he was told someone had been sent away for drunken behaviour, but there had been no mention of possible sexual misconduct. An email from Young Labour to the victims in the days that followed was not good enough.

“There was no offer to talk to parents or support in making a police report. There was no phone call follow-up.

“It was treated as an individual thing that happened between two people, much like if it had happened at a flat party. But it wasn’t a flat party. The Prime Minister attended the event, sanctioned by the Labour Party, even if it was run by Young Labour.

“It is a bit hypocritical as a party, seeing as their values are about protecting people and standing up for those who need assistance.”

This just keeps on getting worse for Labour. Heads are going to have to roll pretty soon to staunch the bleeding.

The booze is just an excuse. The sexual offending is what gets you jail time.

-NZ Herald

Labour would have you believe that this scandal is all just a one off. They ignore Mike Williams talking about any, even of similar circumstances, when he was president. They forget the Darren Hughes incident. And, now they are trying to say this an isolated event.

Jacinda Ardern has clearly forgotten one of her speeches that she gave when President of IUSY (2:38)

She has also probably forgotten this article from 2016 when she wrote about the Chiefs and Kevin Roberts:

I’m a big believer that conversations can be the start of change. So let’s talk about the Chiefs.

I should disclose up front that they’re my team – have been since the very beginning. I’m a Morrinsville girl.

In part I blame my early onset tinnitus on moo loo bells. That’s how I know that, regardless of whether you are a rugby fan or not, these players are role models for a lot of young people. And that’s why headlines like the ones we’ve seen this week are so depressing to read.  

They must be even more depressing when they are about your beloved Labour party, which you lead.

It’s 2016, and these are professional players – and that means being held to a high standard on the field as much as they are off it.

Indeed, and the same for MPs and party officials. But, funny that, she has discounted the President and General Secretary resigning, or anyone else for that matter, over allegations a minimum of four youths were sexually assaulted at a Labour party event.

In an interview revealed this week, Kevin Roberts, the kiwi global advertising boss, suggested that gender diversity wasn’t an issue in his field. I obviously don’t work in his world, but many who do have stated that Roberts is unequivocally wrong.

But what do we do about that? In fact, what do we do about the vast range of fields where we continue to have massive under representation of women in senior roles? We should be asking why.

If there are claims that some are apparently choosing not to take on management roles, why is that? Are they completely unappealing work environments? Is there unconscious bias?

How about we ask women. Find out what’s going on and address it. I’m not holding my breath that will be the outcome in this particular case.

These conversations stop the moment there’s a resignation. It’s the PR quick fix – usher the source of the controversy away. But that solves nothing.

I don’t think Kevin Roberts should have been shown the door, or chosen to walk through it as the case may be – not when he needs to be a part of the conversation.

After all, apologies followed by silence changes nothing, and change is what we need.

Covering up, doing nothing, acting late in the piece as the story is about to break, then getting former PSA activists now working in counselling services to state that silence is golden, to protect the victims, isn’t really a good look. In fact, it goes against what Jacinda Ardern was claiming was needed back in 2016.

Of course, she is now hiding behind the fact that there is a police investigation underway. It is amazing how one’s words can come back to haunt you, especially when you were virtue signalling all along.

Do I believe Jacinda Ardern knew nothing? Not bloody likely. Labour and Jacinda Ardern need to start telling the truth.

-Fairfax

Labour have moved to limit the damage to the party and the government by deploying the playbook used in the McCarten slave-Labour matter.

That is, they are saying the party wasn’t responsible for this, it was those silly young children in Young Labour. This was signalled yesterday morning by The World’s Greatest Sysop on The Standard.

That was at 10:37am and, what do you know, in the afternoon that is precisely what they attempted to do.

So what Jacinda Ardern is finally admitting is that youth aren’t able to make adult decisions, despite the party wanting to lower the voting age to 16. But her answer about the running of the event, that it was Young Labour, doesn’t ring true.

That is because Andrew Kirton, who lives in Wellington, was posing in photos at the camp and with Jacinda Ardern at the camp. There he is, bottom left, at the camp.

Andrew Kirton, bottom left

It doesn’t ring true that Young Labour were running this camp when Andrew Kirton was there and authorised the Young Labour photo, when Tamati Coffey was there, when Liz Craig was there. On top of that, the organiser is in her twenties and also, my sources say, there were two staffers from parliament there as well. Is Jacinda Ardern really saying Young Labour ran the event when the General Secretary is clearly in attendance? Is she really going to run that line? The facts don’t match up with her claims.

Jacinda Ardern is spinning like a top. Her tales don’t ring true; her body language gives it all away.

Labour have lied about this from the get go, they’ve attempted a cover-up and they’ve taken over a month to deal with this.

Jacinda Ardern has professed she didn’t know a thing. Labour went on for years attacking John Key for nothings. They attacked Chris Bishop. They attacked John Key for the ponytail incident. Now they are facing a much, much worse situation with serious crimes alleged.

Labour are displaying all the same traits of the Catholic Church. Lie, obfuscate, deny and victim blame. They victim-blamed with Darren Hughes, Mike Williams intimated there were historic offences, and the intern slave-Labour scam all show that Labour have an appalling history and probably a systemic issue with regards to sexual offending.

-RadioNZ,

The Labour party have a major scandal on their hands now.

Firstly, the news broke on Monday about four alleged sexual assaults at a Young Labour camp opened by the Prime Minister. At least one MP was in attendance, and at least two staffers from the Labour’s whips office.

Then news started to drip-feed out on Twitter about other incidents:

and;

And there are more. Some MPs will be very squeamish right now, especially on the historic events.

What is clear here, though, is that there appears to be a systemic culture of abuse and denial within Labour. I certainly know of many activities that have gone on at camps past, some of which involved MPs, sitting and past. It also makes one of Ian Wishart’s storiesfrom the last Labour government under Clark now ring true.

Labour’s ham-fisted and, frankly, tone deaf methods of dealing with this smacks of a cover-up and denial that they have an issue inside the party.

It makes all their slavering over Key’s ponytail pulling and Chris Bishop’s Snapchatting look self-serving. All the while they’ve been sitting on their own nasty scandal that may well see people jailed for serious crimes.

-Twitter

Labour MP Liz Craig at the Summer Camp drinking session

A reader has researched Labour’s sex scandal and produced what can only be described as the definitive timeline of the sex scandal:

This was always going to come out… just days after the event people were tweeting.

As more events happen we will add to this in subsequent posts. Wait until the resignations start.

-Tipline

Credit: Luke