'How many women need to come forward?': Sir Rod Drury's accuser challenges Luxon

An accuser of a high-profile CEO has quizzed the Prime Minister about what his party would do about sexual harm to women in New Zealand. 

After feeling the heat from protesters in Christchurch on Wednesday evening, Christopher Luxon walked into Napier’s War Memorial Centre to a welcoming crowd of over 250 people last night. 

MC for the evening, National MP Mark Mitchell, heaped praise on Luxon in his intro, calling him “a great leader when you look around the world”. 

Luxon took to the stage, quipping George Clooney could play Mitchell in his biopic, while Jason Statham could play him. 

He added Mitchell was “a much better fisher”. 

Catherine Wedd (left in blue), Katie Nimon and Christopher Luxon at National's public meeting in Napier. Photo / Jack Riddell 

He spoke about National’s coalition Government accomplishments for Hawke’s Bay, from the Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild to improvements to the Hawke’s Bay Expressway to changes to the Resource Management Act and education. 

Upgrades to Hawke’s Bay Hospital and reductions in crime figures were also flaunted, with Luxon adding that local MPs, Napier’s Katie Nimon and Tukituki’s Catherine Wedd, strongly promoted the region in Wellington. 

“These two individuals come together as a dynamic duo,” Luxon said. 

He acknowledged a difference of opinion in the room, inviting questions after his speech, saying that although it was unusual for a Prime Minister to do so, it helped him get out of the “bubble of Wellington”. 

Questions on co-governance, student allowances and the benefit of free trade agreements flew at Luxon, which he answered with the precision of a media-trained pro. 

But then Ally Naylor, the former Xero employee who alleges Xero’s CEO Sir Rod Drury acted inappropriately towards her several times, stood up. 

“One in three women in New Zealand experience sexual assault in their lifetime,” she said. 

She made claims that Drury had admitted to having sexual contact with multiple female employees and put it to Luxon: “As a former CEO yourself and a man in a position of power, do you think it’s appropriate when a power dynamic exists like that? And what will National finally do to address the massive issue of sexual harm in Aotearoa?” 

Luxon admitted it was something the country should be ashamed of, before speaking on the Government’s efforts on stalking laws, removing good character tests for sexual offending and victims’ choice on offenders’ name suppression. 

“There’s more that we want to do in the sexual offending space to make sure it’s very, very clear.” 

Luxon refused to go into specifics on Drury’s case, but said he had “pretty clear rules about inappropriate relationships in a work environment” while a CEO at Unilever and Air New Zealand. 

Naylor said she felt Luxon vaguely answered her question, but she wanted to ask whether he would consider returning any donation from Drury. 

“Four women have come forward. How many women need to come forward and be brave enough to say something like that for somebody to be able to be taken seriously?” 

Canadian Michael Hayes moved to Hawke’s Bay 13 years ago. 

He told Luxon his finances were down 35% since the coalition took office and asked what he would do “outside of talking points”. 

Luxon said the country had to go back to economic fundamentals. 

Hayes told Hawke’s Bay Today he’d voted National in the past but wasn’t sure this election. 

“He’s talking about trickle-down economics, and it doesn’t work. It’s make the rich richer, and we’ll just keep working, and you just pay the bills.” 

Voting in his first election, Xenon Messenger asked Luxon why National hadn’t put forward many candidates for Māori seats, pointing out most vying for Māori seats were on the left. 

Luxon welcomed the question and encouraged Messenger to party vote National. 

Messenger told Hawke’s Bay Today it would be “awesome” to see more Māori representation from parties like National and Act. 

But he still wasn’t sure which way his first vote would be cast. 

“I need to take time and read more.”