Sonya Bateson: Timing of Sam Uffindell investigation release was 'disrepectful'

OPINION

Sometimes there's just too much to write about.

I'm sitting here at my desk contemplating where to start. Like so many others I stayed up until the early hours of the morning watching the state funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II.

What can I say other than – wow.

Something about the monarchy utterly captivates me. I don't mean the gossip about whether Harry and Meghan are currently talking to Kate and William, nor who is dating whom.

For me, it's the pomp and pageantry surrounding the ancient institution. Some of the rites and rituals we witnessed from our living rooms have been developed over centuries, if not longer.

History nerds like me eat that stuff up.

Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell and National Party leader Christopher Luxon. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service was held, was where the Queen's ancient ancestor William the Conqueror (William I) was crowned in 1066. Imagine being farewelled in the same building that your ancestor sat in nearly 1000 years ago, closing the end of your reign in the place where he once began his. For perspective, that's roughly 200 years before Māori discovered New Zealand.

The imperial orb and sceptre that rested on the Queen's coffin during the service and procession were created in 1661. That's 100 years before Captain Cook set foot in Aotearoa.

So as a lover of history I stayed up as long as my eyes would remain open, watching the disciplined march, and later drive, towards the Queen's final resting place, finally giving in to sleep somewhere between Wellington Arch and Windsor Castle.

I'd love to write more about the symbolic pageantry of the funeral, the way the Duke of Norfolk planned the service and procession to minute detail, the centuries, nay, millennia of tradition that have formed the rites we witnessed from around the globe.

It would have been appropriate here to point out the internal conflict between my deep fascination with English history and my knowledge of the wrongs the monarchy perpetuated in my country and to my ancestors.

I wanted to reflect on how important it is for our little collection of islands in the South Pacific to maintain the special rites and traditions that are unique to our home, and how this means we should treasure the taonga of our Māori tikanga and customs such as pōhiri, waiata and karakia.

But, alas, the funeral has already been pored over by writers far more erudite than I.

Instead of that, I am sitting here at my desk, tired from a late night, contemplating the fate of Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell, so recently welcomed back into the National Party fold.

It was so recent, in fact, that you may have missed the announcement. Or maybe that's because it was overshadowed by other events.

You see, someone had the bright idea to announce Uffindell's forgiveness on Monday – the very day of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

Was it bad timing? Or good?

National leader Christopher Luxon announced on August 9 that Maria Dew KC would be conducting an investigation into claims that Uffindell's bullying behaviour had not been left behind at King's College and had in fact followed him through university. At that time, the investigation was expected to take two weeks.

Then, towards the end of August and about the same time as Labour was having its own difficulties with MP Gaurav Sharma, a National Party spokesperson said the investigation was taking longer than expected and Dew reportedly had asked for more time.

Independent MP Gaurav Sharma sitting in the back corner of the Debating Chamber during the Address to King Charles III. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Luxon said he received the report last Thursday night and that he took time on Friday to consider it. On Monday, the party sent out a statement summarising the report's findings, with Dew's approval.

That summary said accusations of bullying (outside of the acknowledged King's College incident) were not substantiated. Luxon said the full report would not be released to the public due to the "confidentiality undertakings given". Fair enough.

But why wait three days to say that? And once the party had decided to wait a few days, why couldn't it stretch that out a day or two longer until the Queen was laid to rest?

In my opinion, it just smacks of trying to bury the story, whether that was National's intention or not. Furthermore, in my view, the timing was disrespectful.

That's how this whole saga has felt to me. Disrespectful.

In my opinion, Uffindell had chance after chance to disclose his high-school bullying past to the public before he was elected.

Voters could have gone to the polls with their eyes open and, let's be real here, in true-blue Tauranga he very likely would have been elected by a strong margin regardless.

But that did not happen. Then it came out that Uffindell had apologised to his bullying victim – but only nine months before revealing his political aspirations.

In my view, this and the delayed announcement felt stage-managed and insincere.

But it's good to know that National approves of second chances. I look forward to seeing that reflected in its crime policies.

Sonya Bateson is a writer, reader, and crafter raising her family in Tauranga. She is a Millennial who enjoys eating avocado on toast, drinking lattes and defying stereotypes. As a sceptic, she reserves the right to change her mind when presented with new evidence.