Newstalk ZB transcript starts at 9:05, Kerre McIvor commentary.
The prime minister refused to comment when Mike Hosking asked her about Mallard’s accusation, Jacinda Ardern told Mike: “There’s a lot to the Francis Report and she and the media are not privy to it.”
Kerre plays recording from Mike Hosking show.
The prime minister refused to comment when Mike Hosking asked her about Mallard’s accusation, Jacinda Ardern told Mike: “There’s a lot to the Francis Report and she and the media are not privy to it.”
Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern
Well, why have the report? Why comment on the report? Why have a media briefing on the vague and unsubstantiated allegations and insinuations, and the Francis report?
Why would Trevor Mallard insinuate that there’s a rapist on the loose in parliament?
Again… it’s just a terrible, terrible accusation to make against anybody, and it threw suspicion on anyone with a penis working at parliament, basically.
A man’s reputation has been traduced after being sent packing from his job, and he has no recourse or right of reply – except through the media.
The government lit the fuse and now it’s complaining of the bomb damage.
We heard on this show just a couple of weeks ago the stories of men who had been falsely accused of heanous crimes, like rape, and the damage it does to them psychologically.
I was stunned at how many men were victims of false accusations, and it’s not just men, seems these days anyone can be accused – especially people in senior or management positions.
Look at Diane Maxwell from the Retirement Commission. Claims she was a bully found to be unsubstantiated – so now what? She’s always seemed like a perfectly lovely person every time I’ve had any dealings with her. What recourse do you have?
If you are falsely accused it appears that there is absolutely nothing you can do about it – unless you go to the media.
There’s no repercussions for the liars, and the falsely accused are just supposed to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives.
So, what do we do? What was the point of the Francis Report then?
If the prime minister isn’t privy to it, if nobody’s privy to it, what was the point of… of spending the time and the money on this report in the first place?
And if the speaker’s going to be dropping round accusations like, you know, “the stories I’ve heard are tantamount to rape?” You can’t just say things like that without backing it up.
You know, I really do wonder about Trevor Mallard’s ability to perform as speaker of the house. You know, he’s done a few nice things with dogs and babies but seriously, as speaker of the house I don’t think he’s doing a particularly good job and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there were moves afoot to try and get him replaced.
But what do you do when you are falsely accused? Especially when you’re in a management position? Where do you go from here?
It’s “Oh, no we can’t tell you.” It’s just “This person has come forward with the story and you must respond to it.”
Most of us can’t afford to stick two fingers to the job and just walk away. But you have to carry on working in a place where you feel that everybody’s whispering behind your back, everybody’s looking at you sideways.
And those who get away with coming out with unsubstantiated allegations are just allowed to get on with their lives – ride on smoothly – absolutely no implications for them.
Transcription ends at 13:00, recording continues with talkback radio.