Tumultuous week for Labour continues after accusation of 'cover up' around handling of sexual assault allegation

September 13, 2019

The pressure is still on the Labour Party and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern following a week dominated the party's handling of an alleged sexual assault by one of its staffers.

Ms Ardern maintains she knew nothing about claims of sexual assault until Monday, despite media speculation for more than a month.

But some are claiming Ms Ardern knew more and that her party had been protecting her, with National's deputy leader Paula Bennett saying she thought it was "a cover up".

Earlier this year, Labour began investigating after seven people made complaints against a staffer. Three-months-later, the staffer was cleared.

In August, the Prime Minister ordered a review by a QC after complaints about the process.

Following  a news article this week in which claims surfaced from a woman who said she raised a sexual assault allegation with the investigation, the QC will now look at the whole investigation.

On Wednesday Labour Party President Nigel Haworth resigned over the handling of the complaint against the staffer.

"Upon reading that correspondence from the complainants it became very clear to me that the process that they've been involved in has caused them harm despite the best intentions of the party and that is not acceptable," Ms Ardern said.

Yesterday the staffer at the centre of the allegations resigned .

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