Labour camp ‘just one big party’

Witness says there was no supervision of young people at the event and a ‘mountain of alcohol’ for the taking

An eyewitness at the Young Labour party during the Waihi summer camp says it was a “recipe for disaster”, describing it as an unsupervised party where people were throwing up from excessive boozing.

There was a giant walk-in fridge where anyone, including people as young as 15, could walk in and grab any alcohol they wanted.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the public deserved to know the true nature of the event, during which a 20-year-old is alleged to have sexually assaulted four people aged 16 to 18.

“On the Saturday night, even before dinner, people were playing goon bag roulette with the clothes line, hanging a bag of cask wine and sitting underneath it and spinning the clothes line,” the man said.

“On the Sunday morning after the incidents occurred, people were vomiting in toilets and in the bushes and were not able to attend morning speeches because they were so intoxicated from the night before.”

He said partying was the unofficial purpose of the weekend, attended by about 60 people, including about 20 under 18 and as young as 15.

“It’s been spun as a conference gone bad, but it was really a weekend-long piss-up, with no supervision of young people.

“They chose that venue because it has a full-size walk-in chiller. A mountain of alcohol is absolutely correct. People could just go in and grab as much booze as they wanted. People were drinking within hours of arriving.”

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and party president Nigel Haworth apolo- Witness gised on Wednesday for how the summer camp was managed, saying the party had let down those who attended, their families, and Young Labour for burdening them with the responsibility of running the camp.

Ardern admitted the party did not do justice to the victims or the attendees, saying more support should have been offered sooner. Haworth and Labour’s general secretary, Andrew Kirton, have not offered to resign.

Labour has suspended all Young Labour events and banned alcohol at party events with under-18s present, while launching a review into procedures as well as other historic claims of sexual misconduct at party events.

Two allegations of historic sexual misconduct have emerged, one involving a woman who Labour has offered support to, and one in Christchurch reportedly involving a Young Labour volunteer harassing another volunteer.

Kirton had no comment on the new allegations.

Ardern said the review would look at the supervision of alcohol at Waihi, and whether there was any drug use.

The man said the young people at the camp had agreed not to drink or take drugs.

“But there wasn’t any supervision of any kind. It was an honour system, but there was no enforcement.”

People at the camp were told about a helpline they could call, but he said mobile coverage was so limited the helpline was practically pointless.

He did not witness any of the alleged offending, nor any drug use.

“I witnessed the [alleged] offender and a victim having a conversation. It seemed to turn a little bit nasty.”

He said the next day he was told someone had been sent away for drunken behaviour, but there had been no mention of possible sexual misconduct. An email from Young Labour to the victims in the days that followed was not good enough.

“There was no offer to talk to parents or support in making a police report. There was no phone call follow-up.

“It was treated . . . much like if it had happened at a flat party. But it wasn’t a flat party. The Prime Minister attended the event, sanctioned by the Labour Party, even if it was run by Young Labour.”