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Bridges orders inquiry into National culture

Author
Jason Walls, NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 23 Oct 2018, 11:39AM
National leader Simon Bridges is ordering an internal inquiry to ensure a culture in the party where women feel safe. Photo / Mark Mitchell
National leader Simon Bridges is ordering an internal inquiry to ensure a culture in the party where women feel safe. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Bridges orders inquiry into National culture

Author
Jason Walls, NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 23 Oct 2018, 11:39AM

National leader Simon Bridges is ordering an internal inquiry to ensure a culture in the party where women feel safe - and has spoken to Paula Bennett about outing Jami-Lee Ross' extra-marital affairs.

Bridges also said the party was unlikely to consider using the waka-jumping law to remove Ross from Parliament as long as he is was unwell.

Speaking to media this morning, Bridges said he would talk to Parliamentary Service this week to "make sure woman feel absolute safer in the workplace and feel they can confidently come forward on all matters".

Bridges said he wants to make sure the same in happening within the party, with volunteers, candidates and staff.

The move comes after Newsroom revealed at least four women had come forward and accused Ross of harassment.

"We are getting independent advice to make sure we have got the best systems and process so women do feel safe."

Bridges did not think there is a cultural issue within the National Party – "but the reality is several women have been affected by what has happened".

He said he wanted to make sure National can do the best for its future.

How the inquiry would look is an "open question at this stage."

The results of that inquiry probably won't be made public, he said.

The inquiry, he said, was to ensure the culture would be the best it could be.

He admitted National had fallen short in some areas of the Ross saga but didn't think there was anything they could have done differently.

Ross was taken to the mental health unit in Middlemore Hospital on Sunday following an incident on Saturday that a friend, who did not want to be named, has described as a serious situation and far from a "cry for help".

Bridges said he didn't know about this until after it had happened, but would not comment on specifics as he is not familiar with the first-hand details.

He said this is now a matter for the right authorities to deal with.

He said National had made the "right call," for the right reasons" and he had done "the right thing at every step of this."

"I have acted entirely consistent with the specialist medical advice at every step of this."
Last week, Deputy Leader Paula Bennett told The Herald issues raised with Ross had nothing to do with harassment but were about inappropriate behaviour from Ross as a "married Member of Parliament."

Bridges said Bennett has acknowledged that "she didn't get it all perfect."

He had spoken to her about the comments.

Bridges said because Ross was unwell, it was "incredibly unlikely that we will use the waka-jumping law.

He said National would be unlikely to use the bill in any other circumstances.

His leadership would not come up in caucus today, he said.

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