Labour Party change needed – Ardern

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is refusing to say if the Labour Party has a culture problem but says things do need to change.

Ardern confirmed the party was reviewing an investigation into bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault by a Labour staffer.

It is understood multiple fresh allegations have come to light about an individual, prompting an external review into an initial investigation to find out if it was adequate and dealt with complaints appropriately.

When asked if the Labour Party had a culture problem, she said she couldn’t ignore the fact that complaints had been made.

‘‘We do need to learn from the mistakes of the past. We do need to change the way we do things.

‘‘We know as the Labour Party that we had to learn from the summer camp and there was an inquiry into how we dealt with those issues. The report was accepted wholeheartedly.

‘‘This has been a test if we have now learnt from that and the party is taking a good look at whether or not we are satisfied with the natural process of justice and whether or not we have supported the complaints as we should have. We are waiting to find out what an independent review of that looks like.’’

When allegations were made, the party wanted to ensure they take them seriously and that people felt listened to and heard, she said.

‘‘I hear now there are those who don’t feel satisfied by that process, so now we have someone taking an independent look at whether or not that process was conducted properly by the party.’’

She said she did not want to be dismissive of what the complainants were raising and the issue was being taken seriously.

She would not say if the person was still employed, saying it was not an employment issue but a party issue and an ongoing matter.

When asked if the person had been exonerated, she said she would not go into the matter while it was still an open matter for the party.

It was only right to have an independent look and she and the party wanted to be assured that they were looking after individuals, she said.

At least four people have resigned from official party roles and cancelled their membership over the way the investigation has been handled, Newshub reported.

The process was said to have been botched and traumatising for the alleged victims.

The investigation into the alleged Labour staffer is separate to the Labour Party summer camp incident, however complainants said Labour has done nothing to improve its harassment process, Newshub reported.

‘‘We do need to learn from the mistakes of the past.’’

Jacinda Ardern