Source: Radio New Zealand
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he doesn’t think it is in anyone’s best interests to be arguing over details of his marriage break-up in public.
It comes after he rejected allegations made against him by his ex-wife.
On Wednesday, Hipkins told Morning Report says “all sorts” of additional unsubstantiated claims were now being added from parts of the internet.
He said he has sought legal advice, not about his ex-wife’s posts, but about further allegations being published online that were “absolutely untrue”.
“The online world is a bit of a sewer pit.”
He said he had worked hard to protect his family from the spotlight in politics, especially his children, and wanted them to grow up with a sense of normality.
“Our marriage broke up. That was a traumatic thing. Clearly there are always going to be lots of regrets in a situation like that.”
Hipkins denies the unsubstantiated claims.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Mark Papalii
The allegations – which do not relate to any unlawful activity – were posted on Jade Paul’s private Facebook page on Sunday evening but have since been removed.
Each of the claims, which relate to accusations of a lack of support during the marriage and after, were put to Hipkins directly on Tuesday. He denied them all in turn.
Hipkins on Tuesday said marriage breakups were very difficult, and there would always be disagreements or “things that you regret” when relationships break up, but “a public forum like this is not the way to litigate those”.
Asked if his children were okay, Hipkins choked up and said: “My kids are.. my kids are with her, so I don’t know.”
Asked if the situation could be damaging for Labour, he said he hoped not, and said standing down wasn’t something he considered.
More to come…
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
