Māori Want One Law For All

It might have passed you by that a prominent senior political personality has been appearing in court facing several charges of sexually assaulting boys and young men.

That person was first identified as a high profile Waitakere political person. That could only have been myself, Sir Bob Harvey, Phil Twyford or somebody else.

We roll forward and that person continues to have name suppression. Notwithstanding the fact that we know a senior West Auckland political figure has been charged with a number of criminal charges based on indecently assaulting young men, one underage.

We learned one week ago that name suppression was going to be allowed to continue solely on the basis of the following submission; that advising the community as to who this senior political figure is facing these indecent charges, would bring an untoward circus in regard to the election period being so close.

I would put it to all people reading this opinion piece that contrary to what the judge agreed too and contrary to what solicitors submitted on this persons behalf, there is nothing greater in regard to the protection of young people in this country from sexual predators than to have them outed. It is important that they be known because it will give others the courage to speak up. A fact that was reiterated to the judge by the Crown prosecutor a few weeks ago.

In supressing this person’s name, it taints myself, the likes of Sir Bob Harvey, Phil Twyford and other high profile West Auckland politicians. And because it tainted us, and because this person has brought disrepute onto us, he should have been named from the very beginning when he first appeared in court January this year and was released on bail.

I can confirm that person is not Māori. I can confirm that if he was Māori and a member of Te Pāti Māori, he would have been named. That’s where we get one law for all. There’s one law for Māori in regards to the use of suppression orders and there is one law for non-Māori.

Clearly Sir Bob Harvey, Phil Twyford and myself are not the high profile West Auckland politicians that have been charged with such a heinous crime. On that basis you can clearly understand that Te Pāti Māori and the Labour Party are not suspects of the suppression order. That means with information in the public space it could have only been one of the other party’s. You go and work that out.

This particular judgement and this particular individual and this particular party needs to be outed. But in the run up to the election on October 14, 2023, you are not going to know who this person is, who they are connected too and whether they are part of a ring.

In a democracy where integrity, honesty and reliability are underlying values, the knowledge of this person rightly could and should have swayed voters. The name suppression lasting over five years by rich lister, Sir James Wallace, is yet another case.

That is a disgrace.