Sex abuse claims first test for New Zealand’s PM

WellingTon: Stung by sexual abuse claims, New Zealand’s ruling Labour Party ordered a review of its internal procedures in the first major crisis to hit Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s (pic) fledgling government.

The centreleft party has been rocked by allegations that four teenagers were groped and sexually harassed at a Young Labour camp last month and officials did little to help them.

Police launched an investiga tion yesterday while Ardern, who took power in October, admitted top officials in her party made mistakes in their handling of the incident.

“That’s why the party is taking steps not to ensure it won’t happen again,” she told reporters.

The allegations centre on a Young Labour summer camp in the North Island retreat of Waihi last month, where it is alleged underage teens threw a boozy latenight party.

The newsroom.co.nz website reported that a 20yearold man sexually harassed four 16yearolds. Three of the teens said he put his hand down their pants.

It said they reported the man’s behaviour to top Labour officials but no action was taken until three weeks later, when the story was poised to go public.

Among those told of the abuse was Labour general secretary Andrew Kirton, seen as the architect of Ardern’s successful “Jacindamania” election campaign. Kirton said this week he did not tell police or the teens’ parents because he wanted to protect the victims’ privacy.

Ardern, who only learned of the incident this week, denied there was an attempt to coverup unsavoury and possibly criminal conduct.

“It was handled badly (but) I do not believe there was ever any intent to allow harm to be done,” she said, adding that neither Kirton nor Labour president Nigel Haworth would resign over the issue.