National MP Sam Uffindell spoke to the media after the disclosure on Monday of the vicious attack that resulted in him being asked to leave King's College.
Video / Mark Mitchell
The way National's Sam Uffindell's beating of a younger student while at high school 22 years ago was kept from much of the party and the public shows candidate selection processes need to change, the party's leader says.
National leader Christopher Luxon twice today faced questions about Uffindell's violent attack on a third former while a 16-year-old in fifth form at Auckland's King's College in 1999.
As reported by Stuff on Monday, Uffindell was asked to leave the boarding school after repeatedly punching a fellow student during a late-night raid of a third form (Year 9) dorm.
The victim, who was 13 years old at the time, was reportedly left with severe bruising and significant trauma.
Uffindell, who apologised to the victim just after Easter last year, did not mention his political aspirations - reportedly leading the victim to believe the apology was insincere.
The incident was disclosed in writing by Uffindell to National's nine-member pre-selection committee that decided the party's candidate to contest this year's Tauranga byelection in June.
Sam Uffindell was confirmed as the MP for Tauranga following a byelection earlier this year. Photo / Andrew Warner
Uffindell's incident, according to Luxon, triggered a red flag and initiated a "deep reference check".
Luxon said the check included speaking with people Uffindell had worked with or studied with at university, among others.
National MP for Rotorua Todd McClay, who was on the pre-selection committee, said the incident was considered "serious" and led to Uffindell being questioned for "some length of time".
McClay said committee members decided Uffindell had taken the incident seriously, they acknowledged his age at the time and that he had worked "very, very hard" to be a different person.
King's College wasn't contacted following Uffindell's submission.
National MP for Rotorua and member of the pre-selection committee that questioned Sam Uffindell, Todd McClay (left) with National leaders Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Neither Luxon, party delegates involved in candidate selection nor the public was informed of the incident prior to the byelection.
McClay, involved in Uffindell's byelection campaign, cited a focus on other issues as a reason for not publicising the incident during the campaign.
Asked why he didn't tell Luxon, McClay said it was not his duty.
Luxon, who was told of the incident on Monday morning, said he should have been told earlier and the processes followed needed changing.
"It should have been revealed to myself, it should have been revealed to delegates and it should have been revealed to the public," he said.
Luxon noted one change already implemented was all new candidates, including those re-applying for selection in their own seat, would fill out a new application form and go through deep reference checking for the 2023 election.
While he acknowledged he would have been upset and angry if the same beating had been inflicted on his child, Luxon's support for Uffindell remained.
National's Sam Uffindell fronted media again today after several appearances yesterday and this morning. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Uffindell, adding to his various media appearances yesterday and this morning, called his high school self a "bully" and a "thug" while speaking at Parliament today.
"I might have tackled a few people, or punched a few people. As I said, I was a bully at school and I'm not happy with that."
Uffindell said his apology to his victim was sincere at the time and remained so today.
"I've grown a tremendous amount as a person.
"At high school, I wasn't a great person, There will be other people I have hurt. I've looked back over my years and said to my wife, and my parents - especially my Mum - that I don't like the person I was as a teenager."
Asked about the last 24 hours, he said they had been "awful, frankly."
