A rather strange story has been posted on The Daily Blog in which it is claimed that the PM has been physically harassing a female staff member in his local cafe in Parnell. According to the story, John Key has been repeatedly playing with the staffer’s hair, in particular pulling her ponytail. When challenged about the uncalled for behaviour, it is alleged Key tried to buy the woman off with bottles of wine.
While there is no independent verification of the claim, and the attached photo looks staged or photoshopped, it is consistent with some weirdness Key engaged in a few years ago.
The post says that the harassment began before the last general election when Key began frequenting the cafe more regularly as he began campaigning and carried on over the course of the summer:
“In the beginning, the first time he pulled on my hair, I remember thinking to myself he’s probably just trying to be playful and jolly, seeing as the general consensus of most who meet him is “he’s such a nice guy”.”
The behaviour was not welcomed:
“The next time he came up behind me and pulled my hair I was annoyed. Great, I thought, this wasn’t just a one off.”
The staffer claims she tried her best to avoid the PM when he visited again, but was stalked by him in the confines of the cafe:
“I began to avoid interacting with him where possible, if he entered when another staff member was also present I would promptly make myself busy somewhere else, I would ask someone to take the beverages or food to his table so I didn’t have to. I kept my distance when I could. It seemed as though the more I disliked it and made myself absent the more fun it became for him, the more he enjoyed the challenge of approaching from behind me, unsuspected.”
According to the staffer, he would pull her ponytail and try and pretend it was wife Bronagh who had done it, much as a primary school kid might do in the playground. Key is claimed to have said “that’s a very tantalising ponytail”.
The issue came to a head on Thursday, 26 March, and the staffer claims to have told Key directly that the behaviour was not welcome and should stop immediately. Bronagh Key is alleged to have told the PM to “leave the poor girl alone”. Key is supposed to have responded by pulling the woman’s ponytail again.
Shortly afterwards, Key is alleged to have returned and tried to make amends with a couple of bottles of JK 2012 PM’s Pinot Noir, saying “this is for you, sorry, I didn’t realise.” His staff followed up the following day to make sure the woman was suitably mollified. But apparently she was not satisfied and has decided to publicise the story.
I’m suggesting caution with this allegation. For starters, it’s one person’s story, and apparently not independently verified. And it’s on TDB, so quite possibly it’s just another Bomber brainfart. Further, every time the left tries and fails to land a hit on Key, he gains strength and our credibility takes a hit. So, please be careful in your comments and any defamatory suggestions such as linking the PM with the prominent New Zealander facing sexual assault charges should not be made. But the story is strangely compelling and is consistent with the video of Key playing with a schoolgirl’s hair, which was weird enough in its own right.
I simply don’t know if it’s accurate, but I do think we should be told Key’s side of the story. Or be presented with his head on a platter if it’s true.
UPDATE: Radio NZ are reporting that Key has just released an apology to the woman he harassed. Details as they become available.
Update: Key has apologised. See also The Herald.
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