Foreign Correspondence

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.. sexual harassment victim bites back in Australia ..

Kiely gets tongue lashing on eve of election
August 6, 2008

Just days out from the Northern Territory election, Labor is trying to clean up the mess from two embarrasing incidents today.

A female security officer who was sexually propositioned by the Territory Labor's Len Kiely two years ago is letter box dropping his electorate urging people not to vote for him.

A handwritten note says "I am the security officer whom Len Kiely sexually harrassed", and goes on to ask voters to place him last on the ballot paper.

Two years ago, Mr Kiely was drunk in the Government's corporate box at the cricket when he told a security guard he had a long tongue and could use it to make her a very happy woman.

When the incident became public, he apologised and resigned as the deputy speaker of the Northern Territory, but 18 months later he was made Environment Minister.

The guard, Sondra McDonald, says she distributed the letters because she was unhappy with the way the Territory Government handled the incident in the first place.

"He lost his speakers money, which was only $18,000 anyway, and then he was actually posted to the ministry, so he was promoted."

She says the Country Liberals were not behind her letter box drop.

During a press conference this morning, Mr Kiely, who had his wife by his side, told journalists he had counselling after the incident and had not had a drinking binge since.

"It has been one that's strengthened our marriage, it has been one that we've worked through together and not only our marriage, it has made me a better local member, to have a look at what is required of the standards of a parliamentarian."

His wife, Marie Kirkwood, says she thinks the letter box drop was unfair.

"The incident happened two years ago, Len apologised to the security guard, she accepted his apology then, he apologised to me and our family and also the community."

The Chief Minister Paul Henderson is also standing by the Member for Sanderson.

"What Len Kiely did was totally inappropriate and he's made a full and public apology, and not only a public apology but an apology to the lady affected.

"Everybody deserves a second chance and I'm confident that Len will continue to be a good local member for the people of Sanderson."

The Country Liberal's Leader Terry Mills says it is obvious Len Kiely has deeply hurt the woman, and anyone who acted like Mr Kiely did would not have a place in his cabinet.

"As a Chief Minister, I could not stand on a platform of leadership and give support in any way to a man who has done this."

Mr Kiely holds the seat of Sanderson by 10 per cent, and says there will be many other issues on the minds of voters in his electorate this Saturday.

Alice branch withdraws support of ALP

Meanwhile, frustrated members of the Labor's Alice Springs branch have refused to help the party's election campaign.

Charlie Carter, who has has been a supporter of the party for 20 years and has held several executive positions, says he is dismayed and disgusted with Labor's treatment of issues that are important to the people of Alice Springs.

Mr Carter says the branch's requests to meet with the Chief Minister and Minister for Mines over the proposed uranium mine have been ignored.

He says this is a reflection of the party's attitude towards Central Australia.

"The uranium mine has been a big issue for the branch and I think the launch on Friday night was conspicuous by the absence of a lot of branch members, so feeling is pretty high."

The Labor candidate for the Alice Springs seat of Braitling, Charlie Dick, says he is unaware of any defections within the branch.

"I was at that branch meeting ... I had some of the discussions with various members of the branch about the uranium mine. There was some support, there was opposition, but I think that's healthy."

A Greens candidate in the Alice Springs seat of Greatorex, Lenny Aronsten, is calling this weekend's poll as a referendum on uranium mining.

Mr Aronsten joined incumbent Country Liberals member Matt Conlan for a debate this morning.

Labor candidate Jo Nixon was absent from the debate, citing personal reasons. She is the second of the party's Alice Springs candidates not to take part in the ABC's on-air forums.

Mr Aronsten says both major parties are underestimating concern in the community about the region's nuclear future.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/06/2325502.htm?site=idx-nt