Henare’s row
September 8th, 2011 at 11:00 am by David FarrarAnna Leask at the NZ Herald reports:
A furious Auckland mum has complained to the Prime Minister and police after an “abusive and degrading” driving incident involving National MP Tau Henare.
Cicelia Holliday told the Herald she was “absolutely gobsmacked” by the incident and wants Mr Henare to be called to account for his behaviour. …
She said she was driving with her 12-year-old daughter along Ash St in Avondale just after 10.30am last Thursday when a car in the lane beside her suddenly pulled in front of her without indicating the lane change.
“I reacted by quickly blaring my horn to draw attention to the fact that they had created a ‘near miss’,” she wrote to Mr Key.
“I noticed the driver give me the finger though the driver’s window and I couldn’t quite believe it. Then he gave me the finger through the rear window with his left hand.”
Mrs Holliday then noticed the red Audi stationwagon carried Mr Henare’s name and photograph and the National Party logo.
Both drivers stopped at a red light, and Mrs Holliday said Mr Henare wound down his window and started to shout at her.
“He started going on about ‘what happened to common courtesy’ … repeatedly talking over me when I tried to ask him why he hadn’t indicated his intention to move across the lane in front of me.
“He shouted, ‘Do you expect me to stop and let about 10 cars go past?’ and I said, ‘I expect you to indicate your intention to change lanes’.”
The light turned green and Mr Henare drove away.
“I am a National Party supporter, but Mr Henare’s behaviour was reprehensible, to say the least – both his driving and his finger-signing,” Mrs Holliday wrote.
Mr Henare laughed when approached about the complaint, and refused to comment.
“I’m not going to respond to it, quite frankly, I’ll just leave it,” he said.
Mr Henare said he had seen the complaint and knew it had been sent to the police.
When told it had also been sent to the Prime Minister, he said: “The police are more important in this respect. I’m not going to deal with it through the media.”
There are two sides to every incident, so I can’t comment on the specifics of this incident except to say that it is a reminder that not all publicity is good publicity.
But it does remind me of an conversation I had some years ago with an MP, about what changes being elected had meant. They replied that one of the changes was that if some moron cuts you off in traffic (not suggesting this is what happened in this case), you can’t honk your horn or gesture at them as you might once have.
I recall thinking it was another good reason for me to not stand for Parliament!
UPDATE: Tau disputes the claims. Also Whale has linked to other complaints from the complainant about road safety.
Related posts:
- The law should apply to all
- MP Allegations
- The Press on arming the Police
- Police inquiry after cycle/road rage allegations
September 8th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Tau Henare is an uncontrollable hot head.
Hopefully he will be gone come election day.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:07 am
1/ Ron Mark got in trouble for flipping the bird but that was to another politician so that’s ok
2/ tau shouldn’t have done what it appears he did
3/ what a stupid bitch. If that is the worst thing that has happened to her then she is a lucky person
4/ what on earth is the Herald reporting that on the front page for .. good grief
[DPF: 20 demerits. Unacceptable to call her that word]
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:08 am
As an MP Henare has contributed very little. He was selected (unfortunately) as a Nat token Maori and behaves like a westie buffoon.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:16 am
In Urban traffic lane changes are common and you drive at a safe distance anticipating this. This woman is a dork frankly. She probably drives in a bubble expecting others to give her 200m of clear space. Did she have to brake suddenly?? The “sudden” lane change probably meant she had to wake up and concentrate again. Her reaction was unwarranted. But then Henare should have controlled himself more. I have had people follow me aggressively for ages when I changed lanes indicating all the time. They are dangerous dorks.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:21 am
Poor lady, she needs to get out more, or at the very least find a nice sedate hobby like knitting to settle the hormones, or perhaps this is just the sound of a whore moaning.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:21 am
Agree that there is often two sides to any ‘argument’ and this may not be any different….
Cicelia Holliday is not exactly media shy – probably due to her activities in Local Body politics at Waitakere. So it would not be unreasonable to ask whether she has an ulterior motive in contacting the NZ Herald with her story….
Just asking…..
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Lockwood wasn’t very happy with this thug in the House yesterday , I’m not surprised .He kept going while the Speaker was on his feet. No respect for the motorists ,no respect for parliament.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Not all that bothered about our elected representatives displaying a decent standard of behaviour in public then scanner?
I will be very interested to see how John Key handles this. I suspect Henare knows he was out of order and has a bollocking coming his way from the Prime Minister.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Assuming the facts are as claimed in the paper I think Henare should send a letter of apology. I don’t think the Prime Minister should apologise on his behalf.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:32 am
What suddenly we are all concerned about the behavior of our elected representatives, Bull Shit, we have sat on our tongues for so long and allowed this bunch of children to behave how the they wanted both on and off stage, and now you lot all want to get anal because Tau flips some serial whinger the bird FFS Get a life.
Vote:http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/index.php/2011/09/serial-whinger/
September 8th, 2011 at 11:36 am
> perhaps this is just the sound of a whore moaning
Classy response. I sure hope you’re single.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:37 am
Agree there is always two sides to a story….
Cicelia Holliday is not exactly a media shy person (probably helped by her various activities within the former Waitakere Council) but the logical question is why she bothered to contact the NZ Herald in the first place with this stunning expose….
Could she have an ulterior motive?
Just asking…
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Agree there is usually two sides to a story…..
Cicelia Holliday is not exactly media shy though – probably due to her activities within the former Waitakere Council. But her actions in breathlessly conveying this expose to the NZ Herald reporter, begs the question: Has this lady got an ulterior motive?
Just asking…..
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:42 am
It’s pathetic what passes for news in this country.
If she had time to sound her horn instead of braking it couldnt have been a big deal. NO ONE in Auckland seems to know how to use their indicators but getting pissy enough to go to the media is an over-reaction.
The real issue which is why wasnt her kid in school?
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Ross – Good to see some others making comments on some of the sexist “banter” that occurs here at Kiwiblog. As well as the whore comment, there is a lot of use of the term “bitch” (see Jaba’s post) on Kiwiblog, which isn’t really all that bad in the wider scheme of things but contributes to the degrading environment.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Ha, roadrage. My favourite gesture is the slow hand clap. Winds em right up, and then you smile at them, and they don’t know what to do with themselves. (‘them’ refers to all you lot, because I never make mistakes on the road)
If that doesn’t work, then I intentionally ram them, and run them off the road. Did that to an obnoxious Granny who had the temerity to overtake me and give me the fingers, just because I was doing 45 kmh in the fast lane and blocking all the traffic, whilst talking on my cellphone, changing a CD and breastfeeding* simultaneously.
*I haven’t specified who the recipient was.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:47 am
“In Urban traffic lane changes are common and you drive at a safe distance anticipating this. This woman is a dork frankly. She probably drives in a bubble expecting others to give her 200m of clear space. Did she have to brake suddenly?? The “sudden” lane change probably meant she had to wake up and concentrate again. Her reaction was unwarranted.”
^^ quoted for emphasis from tvb
I really hate people who use their horn simply to show they are angry. They are a direct cause of road rage.
“The horn should only be used as a reasonable traffic warning.”
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:52 am
GL – ” Ross – Good to see some others making comments on some of the sexist “banter””
Morning GL. Glad you’re still with us. Remember:
“The higher the horse, the harder the fall”
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Tau usually gets the last laugh, he gives everyone the single digit salute and is not worried by it, plus if you want a go , he’ll do that to. But of course he is carrying a few pounds here and there and might find his waka jumping days are behind him.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:58 am
It appeared that Tau Henare had done nothing wrong. This serial whiner mum was overreacting (according to WOBH). The cops should dismiss her complaint as timewasting.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:59 am
This is a he said she said issue. Key should just bin it, otherwise you’ll have every nut job in the country writing in to complain that an MP looked at them funny. It would also be an open invitation for those nutjobs to carry on like deranged people (in this case, illegally blowing her horn to indicate she was pissed off about a lane change) and then complain when the MP gave them back some of their own medicine.
I don’t want MPs to have to stand there and take it while other people are rude or obnoxious. I think it was John Prescott who flung a punch at someone who was trying to egg him. That is a good thing in my book.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
This is news?
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
This Cicelia Holliday is not exactly a media wallflower though – her skills appear to have been honed during her dealings with (and participation in committees at) the former Waitakere Council.
The biggest laugh is that this dopey bint has seen fit to rush off breathlessly to the NZ Herald and have the ‘incident’ repeated by an equally dopey bint “journo”.
Agree BeaB – slow news day, huh?
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
BeaB
Vote:Yeah, it’s not really news that Tau Henare is obnoxious.
September 8th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Scott Chris – “The higher the horse, the harder the fall”
Yep. And I’m sure if I continue to post on Kiwiblog that I will probably offend someone or say something that is not appropriate. You should call me out on it. I don’t think though that a fear of being too moralistic or judgmental (and that coming back to bite me in the future) should stop me from calling out comments which are contributing to what appears to be, from my very brief time commenting on Kiwiblog, somewhat of a culture of “sexist banter” as you put it yesterday.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
No this isn’t news although I am all to aware of the assholes who drive like this. You just have to live with it.
Although I would add a few years ago I did see the afore mentioned Tau driving down Te-Atatu road with his kids standing on the seats. I though that was stupidity / irresponsibility on stilts but was consistent with what I see of him on TV.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
kowtow (1,231) Says:
September 8th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Lockwood wasn’t very happy with this thug in the House yesterday ,
No respect for the motorists ,no respect for parliament.
And importantly none for himself.
Henare rude and a thug.
Vote:Who would be surprised.
Other than National Party followers who never see anything anyway except bblue glasses.
September 8th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
I employ commercial drivers who drive my marked company vehicles.
I would begin a formal disciplinary process if one of my drivers behaved in the manner that Mr Henare is alleged to have behaved.
This seems to be another example of an MP being held to lower standards than his electors.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Doesn’t Ms Holliday have a history of equally obnoxiousness ?
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
As I pointed out on Whale’s post, sign language is an official language of New Zealand. Perhaps Tau was just speaking a particular northern dialect.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Brian Smaller: “Perhaps Tau was just speaking a particular northern dialect.”
Brilliant. Love it.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
gump – “I would begin a formal disciplinary process if one of my drivers behaved in the manner that Mr Henare is alleged to have behaved.”
Good point. No doubt an unofficial verbal warning would suffice for a first offence. Maybe John Key has already issued this.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
gump – “I would begin a formal disciplinary process if one of my drivers behaved in the manner that Mr Henare is alleged to have behaved.”
Really? You wouldn’t stop to check for facts, just get straight into formal disciplinary processes based on allegations. Must be a cool place to work.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Doesn’t Tau have a history of fingering.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
KiwiGreg said:
“Really? You wouldn’t stop to check for facts, just get straight into formal disciplinary processes based on allegations. Must be a cool place to work.”
——
The formal disciplinary process begins with an investigation.
But please do keep the condescension flowing. I find it mildly entertaining.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Road rage?
Come on, really? Road tiff more like it.
Giggity.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
I don’t live there, but from what I have seen on motorways around Auckland this type of lane changing is the norm. It leaves me breathless but if you don’t take the gap you get stuck in the wrong lane. …It was the major news item on Radio NZ as well…incredible.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
GL – “And I’m sure if I continue to post on Kiwiblog that I will probably offend someone or say something that is not appropriate. You should call me out on it.”
Unlikely, as I am hard to offend, and even if I were offended, I’d be more inclined to attempt to deconstruct your assertion, or subject it to ridicule (if it were fatuous), rather than to become indignant.
Like I said yesterday, this forum is, by my estimation, about debate, not diplomacy, where people come to express whatever views they hold, and attempt to justify them. Sensibilities are better left at home.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
The unintentional hilarity on this comments thread (and the Whaleoil post) can be usefully heightened by picturing what the comments would be if a Labour MP had given someone the fingers and shouted at them for objecting to him changing lanes without indicating…
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
People who aggressively use their horns when someone gets into “their space” in urban traffic are asking for trouble. You drive in urban traffic expecting people to move in front of you. I always let one person in if that is what they want. And I expect the same consideration from others. Generally you get it, especially in Auckland. But in provincial centers they are plenty of meat heats who think they own the road and won’t let others in. This Celia person is a nutcase. Writing to the PM said it all to me and saying she is a National Party member. I hope she gets her membership cancelled.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Tau Henare must be so happy fanzone supporters defending his rights to shout abuse at motorists. Gives the story another couple of days mileage.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
The Stasi would flourish here with so many so keen to dob others in.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
So Tau didn’t indicate prior to changing lanes as required by law and then gave the woman the finger when she got pissed off. He was in the wrong and was abusive to boot. Is this really the kind of behaviour you want or expect from your politicians?
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Amazing comment, Thrash. Same applies to you, Psycho, V2, smttc and certain others.
No examination of the accuser, no corroborating evidence, no interest in hearing the defence – just convict the guy on one woman’s allegation and the inane publicity reaction from our ever-trustworthy Herald.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
FFS !
Everybody knows that chicks cannot bloody well drive.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Dear complainant: HARDEN UP. That is all.
Vote:September 8th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Whaleoil had nothing really, why even bother linking to it, except to cast his smears without doing it personally? A couple of questions at a community board meeting and one comment on an internet petition doesn’t really cut it for “serial whinger”.
Vote:It is not even clear to me that the community board questions were complaints as such.
September 9th, 2011 at 12:01 am
Scott Chris – “if I were offended, I’d be more inclined to attempt to deconstruct your assertion, or subject it to ridicule (if it were fatuous), rather than to become indignant”, Are you suggesting I was being indignant on the previous postings? I think I was reasonably measured in my analysis of your and RightNow’s comments on the “eco-nazi” story. I acknowledged that they weren’t “headline news” or “outrageously offensive”. If anything my original, sarcastic comment was in the realm of “ridicule” rather than anger. Regardless, even if I were indignant I don’t think that being indignant over how people talk about others is a particularly illegitimate thing to be indignant about.
“This forum is, by my estimation, about debate, not diplomacy, where people come to express whatever views they hold, and attempt to justify them.” – I’d love it to be a place where people debated the issues in an erudite way. That would be my vision of a good blog – a place where people could strongly debate issues and back up their points with rigorous arguments. Unfortunately, your vision seems to be of a blog in which “sexist banter” is accepted and even promoted (?). Your vision is reinforced by people like Big Bruv in their comment three above this one. Interestingly it seems to be those who have commented the most that are making the questionable comments.
Vote:September 12th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
Actually:
1. The two posts to the council were only queries
2. I was bringing my daughter back from an interview at Avondale College for next year’s enrolment (the reason she was not at school). Here the deputy principal had just spoken to her about the policy the college has about respect for others, respect for property and respect for self.
3. I was driving a very old, beat up Nissan van (that I work very hard on a full time basis to keep on the road).
4. I live in West Auckland and am not a “privileged Remuera mobile phone user” as has been suggested.
5. Normally I cycle to and from work when I can (not that that makes me a “greenie” or Labour supporter I hope – just cannot afford the exorbitant travelling costs involved in travelling to Auckland Central every day to work).
6. I do believe that people in leadership (like parents and politicians) are in positions of service to the people they lead, and should also set good examples.
7. I simply filled in a form that the police supply to the general public when one notices someone driving badly. They then send a courteous letter to that driver.
8. I felt Mr Key should know about the poor behaviour of the person he has chosen to represent his party in the Te Atatu area.
9. I am not a racist ex-South African and people who know me can attest to the fact that I have darker skin than most people in NZ.
10. I wanted to let everyone know that the people of NZ are upstanding citizens who deserve better treatment from elected politicians.
Finally, I do apologies for tooting my horn, that was wrong.
Vote:September 12th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
BTW Elaycee …..
Vote:I worked as a minute taker at the committee meetings. a quiet mouse recording what everyone said…WOWWWWW!
My motives are clear in my previous response.