ACT's problem is Luxon's problem

Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was unfair to voters, it was unfair to the party (which I assumed would want to dispel the inevitable suspicion that they knew or were careless about this historical offending), and it was unfair to all its candidates (some of whom may have wished to avoid the taint of representing a party which hosted a sex offender). And it was terrible for our democracy:

Because if the party ends up in government and helping to make justice policy after the election, and then suppression is lifted, voters will rightly feel that they have been defrauded at the ballot box and that the government gained power by covering up child abuse. Which is obviously horrific for its legitimacy, and for public confidence in our democratic institutions.

Now that his name suppression has formally lapsed, we are allowed to formally know that the man was Tim Jago, and the party which benefitted from this suppression is ACT. Who are indeed helping to make justice policy, and are currently trying to rewrite te Tiriti o Waitangi and core elements of our constitution. ACT is able to do this because a judge covered up these allegations, preventing reporting of the party's institutional cover-up (not to mention connecting the dots with sexual harrassment and sexual assault within the party, not to mention the dodgy attitudes of its previous leader), and thereby preventing voters judging them accordingly. So, we have an illegitimate rewrite of our constitution by a government whose support is based, in part, on a colossal act of electoral fraud. Yeah, that's totally legitimate, and I'm sure people will have huge confidence in the political system which enables it.

People need to be asking Christopher Luxon how he feels about depending on the support of a party which covered up for a child abuser, and what he's going to do about it. Because he chose his friends. He chose to lie down with that dog. If he doesn't want the fleas, he knows what he can do about it.