Although Whaitiri denies touching the staffer, David Patten, the lawyer who conducted the inquiry, found on the balance of probabilities the staff member's version that she was grabbed was the more likely explanation of what happened.
That is damning — and clearly what led to Ardern's sacking of Whaitiri as a minister last Thursday, a day after seeing the draft report.
So why the ongoing secrecy? Of course privacy is important; the Herald has not identified the staffer involved, the Government could surely have redacted the relevant information just as speedily. For this matter is clearly in the public interest and voters deserved to know the details.
There is also the issue of appropriate behaviour in an elected representative. Some view the incident as minor. Former Labour Cabinet minister and Waipareira Trust chief executive John Tamihere has told the Herald he would get his staff's attention in a similar fashion by touching their arm: "I don't see this woman as a thug."
That's as may be, but MPs, let alone a minister, must be held to the highest standard. At the very least it raises questions about anger management and suitability for public office. And, for those who believe the alleged incident is minor, teachers now have strict new rules that prohibit manhandling pupils.
The public had the right to know exactly why Whaitiri was stripped of one of her roles. It would still be helpful to know why she was deemed okay to remain the Māori caucus co-chair, or whether there was any thought of expulsion from the party.
The latter move would seem unlikely, but it will be interesting to see if she remains a Labour candidate at the next election.
This Government promised to usher in a new level of transparency and openness. But there has been little evidence it is any more transparent than any other administration it seeks to better.
