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September 18, 2019
‘Orgy of speculation’ on Labour assault claims
Waatea Team
Posted On September 18, 2019
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says allegations of sexual assault by a former Labour staffer have been turned into an orgy of speculation.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tried to shut down further discussion while separate inquiries are done into the allegations and the party's response, but the New Zealand First leader says the public has been massively misinformed.
He says National's deputy leader Paula Bennett has been passing off rumour, gossip and hearsay as evidence.
"What we've had is this public outpouring and blood spilling and all sorts of allegations being made and statements that go something like this: 'If you can't answer the question you must be lying.' Instead of waiting for the inquiry and instead of the most important thing which governs the quality of our life which is you're innocent until proven guilty, all that went flying out of the window and I regard it as an orgy of disgusting speculation," Mr Peters says.
He says the statement by lawyer Simon Mitchell that the allegations of sexual assault were not put to the internal inquiry made him suspect some allegations had been tacked on later.
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