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