NZ leader Key labeled 鈥榮choolyard bully鈥
Print Edition
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key yesterday publicly apologized to a waitress who labeled him a 鈥渟choolyard bully鈥 for repeatedly pulling her ponytail on visits to her cafe.
As women鈥檚 groups expressed outrage, Key said he now realized his behavior was inappropriate but insisted he was merely 鈥渉orsing around,鈥 not acting maliciously.
鈥淚t was all in the context of a bit of banter that was going on,鈥 he told TVNZ, saying he apologized and gave the woman two bottles of wine when he realized she had taken offense.
The unnamed Auckland waitress recounted her story in an anonymous column on left-wing website thedailyblog.co.nz, saying the conservative leader鈥檚 actions reduced her to tears.
Key tugged her hair on at least six separate occasions, even though she had clearly signaled her displeasure and once warned his security detail she would punch him if he continued, she said.
At one point, Key鈥檚 wife Bronagh told him 鈥渓eave the poor girl alone,鈥 the woman wrote, saying that the prime minister gave the impression 鈥渢hat he just didn鈥檛 care.鈥
鈥淗e was like the schoolyard bully tugging on the little girls鈥 hair trying to get a reaction, experiencing that feeling of power,鈥 she said in the blog.
The waitress said Key eventually got the message and stopped tormenting her in late March, telling her he had not realized how upset she was at his behavior, which lasted for several months.
鈥淩eally?! That was almost more offensive than the harassment itself,鈥 she wrote.
Key won a third term in office last year and enjoys 49 percent support in opinion polls even after seven years in power.
Quizzed on whether he had acted appropriately, the 53-year-old said he had visited the cafe for years and had a fun relationship with staff, including practical jokes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very warm, friendly relationship. In that context you鈥檇 say yes, but if you look at it now, no,鈥 he said.
The row stirred a reaction online and trended on Twitter under the hashtag #ponytailgate, with most criticizing Key but some saying it would not affect his popularity ratings.
The National Women鈥檚 Council said it was difficult for a female cafe worker to stand up to the prime minister and Key had 鈥渃rossed the line鈥 with his unwanted touching.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
