Editorial: Sam Uffindell facing months as a silent backbencher

National MP for Tauranga Sam Uffindell talks to the media at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Editorial

EDITORIAL

New Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell should have eased his way into politics to become a useful MP for his safe National electorate.

But after taking the by-election on June 18, Uffindell was in office for 52 days when word broke of his part in a boarding school bashing of a younger student. More accusations of historical poor behaviour followed and the National Party stood him down the same day, pending an investigation.

To be fair, the information so far has been corroborated only to varying degrees and it would be presumptive to pass judgment based on what has been verified so far. The inquiry by Maria Dew QC is expected to take another week.

It is also important to remember there are people involved who have said they have been very shoddily treated. Their hurt must be acknowledged and borne in mind. Uffindell also has a family who must be under duress.

All these people have been let down by a ham-fisted handling of candidate selection, endorsement and crisis management as the allegations emerged.

Uffindell, if he was truly the best candidate for National in the Tauranga electorate, should have been advised to disclose at least his removal from Kings College and reason for it. In the modern vernacular, Uffindell could have then "owned" his failings as a teenager.

Instead, possession of his historic misdeeds was handed to the court of public opinion and the chance to clutch his contrition swept away.

Whatever, the outcome of Dew's investigation, it would seem Uffindell has lost his platform to condemn lawlessness and "sense of impunity", as he had indicated in his maiden speech only 11 days ago.

The National Party, which has brought Dew in to conduct the investigation, is not likely to wish Uffindell's removal by dismissal or resignation as it would trigger another expensive and politically embarrassing by-election.

The most probable scenario is - pending no further damning evidence surfaces - Uffindell's history will be raked into the open and the MP will be backbenched to quietly serve out his term.

His political restoration, if it can happen at all, will take all of this 53rd Parliament.

The Tauranga electorate deserved better.