National Party review of its women's safety finished but MPs apparently not consulted

The National Party's review of its culture is finished but MPs are in the dark over its findings and it appears they also weren't consulted. 

National Party leader Simon Bridges ordered the review six months ago in the wake of the Jami-Lee Ross scandal last year, to find out if women in the party feel safe.  

Several women had complained anonymously about the behaviour of Mr Ross, a former National MP for Botany who now sits as independent MP in the seat. 

Arriving at Parliament today, National's women MPs 1 NEWS spoke to were clear they had not been contacted for the culture review. 

They included the National MP at the heart of the Jami-Lee Ross affair, Sarah Dowie, who said: "No, look, and I can't talk about that at the moment."  

Nor had the National MP Mr Bridges described as useless, Maureen Pugh, been contacted as part of the review.

"No I haven't. Obviously I don't fit the profile... I've never been a victim," Ms Pugh said.  

Male National MPs 1 NEWS spoke to were also in the dark about the culture review.

In October, Mr Bridges said he wanted "to make sure women in National, both here in Parliament and the wider party, feel absolutely safe."

Apparently the review was completed several weeks ago. But Mr Bridges hasn't seen it. 

"I've asked for an update and I'm sure we'll get that in due course," he said today.

When asked who's doing the review, he said: "You'd want to ask the president about that."

National Party President Peter Goodfellow said: "Let's wait till we've finally signed off on it and then come back with that," saying he has to sign off on the review "because we have a process". 

1 NEWS Political reporter Benedict Collins says the review has become "a six-month investigation into the National Party's culture, that didn't interview its MPs, carried out by people the party isn't willing to identify, and with conclusions the party isn't willing to reveal".  

For his part, Mr Ross said the National Party "did a once over lightly of their culture review" and added "they were trying to move it on because they wanted to protect the current leader".

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said the culture review "was a fact free inquiry by the sound of it where women were concerned". 

Not a lot of light was shed today on whether women are safe in the National Party.