Haworth not telling truth: complainants
WELLINGTON: Some of the people who have complained about a Labour Party staff member have accused the party’s president of not ‘‘telling the truth’’ and say he has let them down.
Labour president Nigel Haworth has been under increasing pressure over his handling of at least seven formal complaints about a male party member.
The Spinoff reported on Monday the detailed account of a 19yearold volunteer who said she had told Labour’s ruling council that a staff member had sexually assaulted her, but no disciplinary action was taken.
Another complainant told RNZ yesterday he had warned the council about inappropriate sexual behaviour by the Labour staff member.
Mr Haworth denies that he or Labour’s investigating panel were informed about the serious allegation of sexual assault.
A complainant has now provided a statement to RNZ, saying they were ‘‘incredibly disappointed’’ by Mr Haworth’s response.
‘‘I’m incredibly saddened to hear today he himself did not believe our own stories,’’ the statement said.
‘‘We have had so many email exchanges that talk about the nature of the investigation, and each time he’s responded in line with what we’ve told him. We know that Nigel isn’t telling the truth.’’
The statement said, until now, the complainants had believed Mr Haworth had had the best of intentions.
‘‘He was like a fatherly figure to us six women and he’s let us down.’’
The statement was also critical of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and suggested she should have followed up with more questions when sexual assault claims were reported five weeks ago.
The complainants said several of them got their start in the party volunteering for Ms Ardern’s campaign to win the Mount Albert electorate and it was time for her to return the help.
‘‘She has a lot more resources than us.
‘‘We can’t keep this up all on [our] own and we still need her help.
‘‘Her staff were told about the investigation early this year.
‘‘She gave us hope in the party,’’ the statement said. ‘‘Now is the time to act.’’ Mr Haworth issued a statement yesterday reiterating his position that the party was not told about the sexual nature of the allegations.
‘‘The serious allegation of a sexual assault, outlined in The Spinoff article and in other media, was not provided to the president and acting general secretary at a meeting in the Wellington Central Library or subsequently to the Labour Party investigation panel.
‘‘The most important thing that can happen now is for the QCled appeal process to run its course and reach a conclusion on these matters.’’
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has refused to express confidence in him, pending a QC’s report.
‘‘He’s [Mr Haworth] claimed to me that he will do the right thing based on what the QC report tells us, and so, yes, if it finds there is wrongdoing on his part he will act on that,’’ she said yesterday.
She was ‘‘deeply concerned and frustrated’’ because when she inquired about the complaints when they were first made, she was told they were not sexual in nature.
‘‘It has not been handled well — no question.’’
A QC reviewing the original inquiry and its findings will now report directly to Ms Ardern.
Ms Ardern still maintained she was not aware the complaints were of a sexual nature, saying when she read the 19yearold’s story on Monday she found it ‘‘extraordinarily distressing’’.
She said she had asked the party direct questions about whether any of the complainants were claiming sexual assault — ‘‘and I was told no’’.
An email detailing serious sexual assault allegations was sent to some media on July 12.
Ms Ardern said she had been briefed on that email but had not read it personally. — RNZ