March 15, 2018
No purge after party goes awry
PRIME MINISTER ARDERN FULL INTERVIEW
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern doesn't believe anyone should lose their job over the way allegations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp were handled.
Police are now investigating allegations a 20 year old male assaulted four teenagers during a boozy evening party at the Waihi camp, including putting his hands down their pants.
He was told to leave the camp the next morning and banned from future Labour gatherings.
Ms Ardern says further investigation is needed, and the party has suspended Young Labour events until protocols are in place to protect the young people involved.
There have been calls for party secretary Andrew Kirton and president Nigel Haworth to be sacked, but she says that is not necessary.
"Certainly we've admitted where mistakes were made, absolutely, because it's obvious they have, and they are working very hard to rectify them, but no, it's not my intention we lose any people over this but it is my intention we fix what has happened and make sure it never happens again," Ms Ardern says.
She is not concerned she wasn't informed of the incident as soon as it happened, because what was important was looking after the young people rather than political management.
Copyright © 2018, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com