Does anyone remember Hogan’s Heroes? Barry Soper does. He has likened our much loved prime minister to Sergeant Schultz of Hogan’s Heroes… that esteemed German officer who said repeatedly, particularly in a crisis – “I see nothing, I hear nothing, I know nothing”.
If you have listened to Jacinda on the Mike Hosking Show, or the AM Show, or any of the other shows where she regularly makes an appearance, you will understand the comparison. In fact, all that is missing is the fake German accent.
It beggars belief that the leadership of the Labour Party didn’t know something about the allegations of sexual abuse levelled at a Labour staffer.
This man was after all sent packing from Parliament five weeks ago and is apparently now working from home. Ardern admits to being aware he was the subject of complaints but had no idea that they were of a sexual nature.
If she’s to be believed it seems she blithely accepted the word of Haworth that the complaints were, well just complaints. It also seems she was aware of an email sent to some of us in the media two months ago, purportedly from a woman who was representing 12 complainants against the the same staffer who she named, with many of the alleged complaints being sexual including allegations of rape.
It seems that someone can be accused of unwanted hugs and the Speaker, Trevor Mallard, can call him a rapist; but this guy, against whom there were numerous complaints, got to keep his job because he was ‘too valuable’ to Labour and the prime minister?
She admits to taking advice on the email, spoke to Haworth but was assured the complaint he was dealing with wasn’t sexual.
There, there Jacinda, don’t worry. Nothing for you to bother your pretty little head about…
It was only yesterday when she read the account of the alleged sexual assault on a 19-year-old volunteer on the website The Spinoff that she claims she realised sex was involved. It seems as though Ardern’s been living in a soundproof cocoon for the past several weeks as the media around her raged about the alleged sexual assaults.
And the same could be said of Haworth, who says he too was unaware of the serious allegation of sexual assault until he read the account yesterday.
Jacinda read The Spinoff’s report on Monday, but she’d somehow managed to miss all the other media reports since early August on the matter? Anyone got a spare bridge to sell to these guys – or to anyone else who believes this garbage?
Not everyone can be telling the truth, between Ardern, Haworth and the complainants’ version of events so far.
Let’s just say I believe the complainants. The evidence so far is heavily in their favour, and we already know the extent to which Jacinda hides behind inquiries and reports, and obfuscates wherever she can. The complainants have much more to lose by going public with this, but that is exactly what they have done.
Don’t expect the guilt to fall on Ardern when the Queen’s Counsel they’ve hired to review the process Labour adopted in dealing with the complaint comes down with her finding. For her part the PM’s left us in no doubt that she’s had what she says is contradictory information from what Haworth’s been telling her and what’s she’s now finally seen in the media.
She says she needs clarity and will act decisively when the QC delivers her findings in about a month’s time. If Haworth’s found wanting, Ardern says she expects him to do the decent thing and resign. But what if she’s found wanting? I can’t see her doing the same thing.
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Once again, Jacinda would not know decisiveness or leadership if it slapped her in the face. Of course, Haworth has now resigned but hopefully his will not be the only head to roll. In the meantime, Jacinda plays her only trick… of trying to postpone any verdict on these events until a report comes out, so that the facts can be buried, and, with any luck, forgotten.
I don’t think this will be forgotten, Jacinda, even if we have to wait for the QC’s report, in a month’s time. This is the second time that the governing party has failed to protect its own people from sexual assault, or possibly worse. Sexual assault in the halls of government? This is not going to go away.
The media is going bananas over this. And it is about time.