Curran opens up on ‘traumatic time’
Social media attacks directed at Clare Curran after her controversial resignation were "vile and personal", the former minister says.
Curran resigned last month as broadcasting minister citing "intolerable" pressure after questions over her use of a personal email account for government business.
The Dunedin South MP told Stuff her demotion was "a traumatic time for myself and my family".
"Families don’t choose political life but they bear the consequences of ongoing sustained public criticism and ridicule of their family member.
"This can be really hard on them. This has been the toughest thing for me to deal with."
Curran was demoted from Cabinet in August when it emerged she had failed to declare a second meeting – an evening Beehive meeting with technologist Derek Handley – in response to a question from the Opposition.
That meeting was set up using her personal Gmail account, which led to further questions in the days leading up to her resignation from her ministerial portfolio.
Curran said she was "astonished" over the support – mainly from Dunedinites – but included hundreds of emails, letters and cards from throughout the country.
"A few days ago I was out for a walk when a man playing golf made an effort to stop me and say that Dunedin people had my back, and not to let the bastards keep me down."
Asked about the feedback from across the political divide since her resignation, Curran said she had strong support from the Labour Party – both locally and nationally – and from coalition partners the Greens and NZ First.
However, the same could not be said for the Opposition.
"I imagine the National Party are clapping themselves on the back.
"I am not accessing social media much these days as I have found some of the comments from a band of Opposition supporters who hunt as a pack too vile and personal."
A National Party spokeswoman said the party did not condone online bullying.
"If Clare Curran is experiencing that, we hope that the Labour Party is providing her with the help and support that she needs."
Curran deleted her Twitter account in the days after her resignation, but has since restarted the account tweeting several times.
During her resignation statement to media Curran pledged to stay on as Dunedin South MP, however "due to the media coverage of my resignation as a minister" some constituents thought she had left Parliament.
"I have done my best to reassure my constituents I am still very much their elected representative."
‘‘I am not accessing social media much these days as I have found some of the comments from a band of Opposition supporters who hunt as a pack too vile and personal.’’ Clare Curran
That included writing a letter to the editor of the Otago Daily Times maintaining she was still an MP. That letter also suggested a "storm of media coverage" may have led to people thinking she had left Parliament.
Curran declined to comment about media coverage, telling Stuff "I have no comment to make on that at this time".
When asked what she would say to her constituents, Curran said she was was elected to represent and advocate for Dunedin South, "and the whole of Dunedin’s best interests".
That included issues over housing, healthcare and economic development: "And I’ll have more time to devote to them than when I was a Minister."
Her goals this term were to "represent my electorate to the best of my abilities".
She stopped short of committing to contest the next election, saying "as all Members of Parliament do, I’ll make that decision when it’s time".