Underwear trophies ‘yuck’
National Party leaders speak out as images from stood-down MP’S student flat emerge
National's leaders are condemning an image showing underwear being used as trophies in the student flat of embattled Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell.
Yesterday it was reported Uffindell’s Dunedin flat was one of the filthiest in the city and women’s underwear had hung on a wall, apparently as trophies.
Asked about this, National Party leader Christopher Luxon said: “As a dad of a daughter at university, [it’s] not great.”
National deputy leader Nicola Willis said the photo of a “trophy” rack of women’s underwear made her feel “pretty yuck”.
Willis was asked about the photos, which were published yesterday, after Uffindell was suspended from National’s caucus over allegations by a former flatmate against him.
“I’m sure I’m not alone that when I looked at the picture of women’s underwear in particular, I felt pretty yuck,” Willis said.
Willis said she was conscious there had been a number of allegations made in recent days that were now being investigated. “I don’t want to prejudice that.”
Maria Dew QC’S inquiry findings would not be made public, but decisions from it would be.
Willis said she had spoken to Uffindell since Luxon suspended him.
“I have said to him that I supported Todd Muller to be assisting him to get home to Tauranga, I have shared with him my view that if there is further information that he thinks the investigation needs to bear in mind that he should provide that to Maria Dew, QC, to ensure her investigation can be thorough.
“And of course, I have sent my wishes to him and his family at what I am sure is a difficult time.”
Luxon has conceded the Uffindell saga shows the party needs to improve its candidate selection policies.
Luxon said he took the issues swirling around the stood-down new
I looked at the picture of women’s
underwear in particular, I felt
pretty yuck. National deputy leader Nicola Willis
MP “incredibly seriously”.
He acknowledged there were improvements to be made into candidate selection but his focus now was taking the allegations seriously and “getting to the bottom of that”.
“We’ve just got to keep improving our process all the time,” he said yesterday.
Luxon said he was firming up the
terms of reference for Dew’s investigation into claims that Uffindell bullied a female flatmate while at university in Dunedin.
He expected to receive Dew’s findings in two to three weeks.
It has since emerged that a member of Luxon’s staff was aware of Uffindell’s schoolboy assault at King’s College but Luxon was not told.
“We make mistakes, we are where we are, it is what it is,” Luxon said in relation to his staff member.
It was too soon to discuss the possibility of a byelection in Tauranga, the National leader said.
Muller drove Uffindell back to Tauranga after he was suspended — Uffindell had been on Muller’s electorate committee prior to the Tauranga byelection.
Uffindell was stood down from
National’s caucus late on Tuesday as an investigation was launched into allegations made by a female flatmate of Uffindell when the pair studied at Otago University in the early 2000s.
The flatmate said Uffindell had been an aggressive bully who once pounded on her bedroom door, screaming obscenities, until she fled through her window.
Uffindell would trash the house after “excessive” use of alcohol and drugs, she said.
Uffindell has denied accusations he was involved in bullying or intimidatory behaviour while at university.
Luxon had not confirmed Uffindell’s position in his caucus if the “very serious” allegations were proved accurate. “At the end of [the investigation], I’ll take those findings and I’ll make a decision.”