Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media in Tauranga. / Video by Mark Mitchell
An internal Labour Party report into allegations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp has not been released because there are matters now before the court, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Speaking to reporters in Tauranga today, Ardern was asked about the report, by Wellington lawyer Maria Austen.
"As the party has said, it was important that we look into issues around alcohol use, harassment, make sure that we've got the right policies and protections in place. The reason the report hasn't been released is it did relate to an event that is now before the court so it just wouldn't be appropriate for that to have been released."
Ardern would not comment on whether she stood by the party's earlier decision not to tell police, the victims' parents, her or other senior Labour Party MPs about the events that occurred at the Waihi camp in February.
"I think actually what's important is that we take on board what the report has told us about what we need to do, so I'm looking forward to seeing that in full. I've seen the highlights of the recommendations. But we undertook it for a reason, we know we need to do things differently."
Labour Party president Nigel Haworth said today the party would implement all the recommendations of the Austen report, including that events should be supervised and a policy on alcohol is developed.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking to reporters about the report in Tauranga today.
The recommendations are:
• Develop a more tangible and effective relationship between Young Labour and the Labour Party.
• The party's code of conduct – along with consideration as to whether that should apply to the Young Labour Party, or whether a modified or separate code should be developed.
• Sexual harassment & sexual assault.
• Alcohol.
• Events and host responsibility.
• Bullying.
• Complaint procedure.
• Incorporate updated event registration and parental consent & risk disclosure information requirements and forms to ensure compliance with current best practice and all legislation relating to the care of minors when participating in party-held events.
• Ensure at least one Labour Party representative should also attend the entire event and be available throughout (solely or jointly with another nominated adult supervisor) to ensure compliance with safety and welfare expectations and the Young Labour Party should also nominate a welfare officer to attend all events.
• Introduce a new, over-arching alcohol policy, formulated in consultation with expert external advice.
• Introduce a new open complaints process to enable complaints to be received and responded to without delay and with the appropriate degree of specialist advice.
"The recommendations are both welcome and specific, and reflect the care taken by Ms Austen in completing her report. The Labour Party is most grateful to Ms Austen for the quality of her investigation", Haworth said in a statement.
A 20-year-old man has been charged with four counts of indecent assault over the allegations.
The Labour Party came under fire in March when details emerged of the February camp and allegations of assaults of four young people, all believed to be just 16, became public.
The alleged assaults took place at an evening event and there were reports of heavy drinking, even though some were too young to consume alcohol.
Labour MP Liz Craig was at the Waihi summer camp, but was asleep when the alleged offending took place.
Labour's hierarchy failed to tell Ardern about the scandal and there were complaints about the handling and the failure to refer the issue to police at the time.
Ardern said at the time there were parental consent forms, but they did not protect the young people at the camp - which is why Young Labour would not be running the camps in the future.
