Will's Word: Political PR dramas continue, next up - the ACT Party

This is a transcript from Will’s Word on Monday, 10th of June.

Well it’s like every political party is going through a bit of a PR nightmare at the moment, we’ve had the Greens, National, Te Pāti Māori and now ACT.

The ACT Party held its annual rally in Auckland yesterday, where its leader David Seymour made the ambitious goal of wanting to double the Party’s support.

But recent reports have surfaced of mistreatment of women and a campaign environment described as cutthroat are concerning.

Stuff has reported some volunteers on ACT’s election campaign said there was a culture of fear, no support for people suffering mentally, volunteers reduced to tears, and that women were treated badly, which Deputy Leader Brooke Van Velden has denied.

But I don’t think van Velden's defence addresses the issues. Just because there are women in leadership doesn't mean there aren't problems.

The party has since worked on a post-campaign report with 36 recommendations, which is a start, but keeping it private isn't the best move.

Perhaps to rebuild trust, ACT needs to be transparent and take action fast to fix it.

ACT's path towards doubling its support isn’t just trying to woo voters, it’s also about listening to its members, creating a supportive environment, and being open about its challenges.

…. That’s Will’s Word…