Labour terminates membership of disability sector chair amid complaints from a woman with intellectual disabilities
The Labour Party has expelled Nick Stoneman, chair of its Kirk Disability Sector, following allegations of misconduct involving a disabled woman.
As first reported by Stuff, Stoneman's membership with the Labour Party and the Kirk Disability Sector was terminated on Thursday evening after a complaint was made by Christchurch woman Chelsea Taylor.
Stoneman is also no longer affiliated with the party, according to the news report.
Taylor, who is autistic and has ADHD and reactive attachment disorder, said she was charged $2,616 over a 13-day period after signing a Letter of Engagement with the New Zealand Disability Advisory Trust, where Stoneman is a co-founder.
She said she did not fully understand the financial terms due to her intellectual disability, despite signing a Letter of Engagement.
Stoneman denied being Taylor's disability navigator, saying: "We have professional standards, and I would immediately object to doing any work for anyone who is living under my roof."
He further asserted that others at the trust were responsible for delivering support services.
Following media coverage of the complaint, Taylor received multiple communications from a number linked to Stoneman.
In one voicemail, a caller said: "You are in very serious trouble, young lady, for publishing something that didn't need to be published. How dare you?"
"I'm gonna keep calling you and I'm going to call the reporter… one side of the story might be half the truth, but believe me, you've got nothing, and you're gonna get a barrage of phone calls right now, because I'm about to dish out your phone number like you dished out mine."
Taylor also received a text message warning she "won't have any friends in the disability sector" after Stoneman was "finished" with her.
When contacted by Stuff, Stoneman said the matter would be handled in court and declined to comment further.
Asked about the voicemail, he said: "Absolutely it's justified. As I said, this matter is before the court."
"All I have done is tried to maintain my dignity, my respect, my privacy, and I've had everything breached," he added.
Stuff reported that a formal complaint had been lodged with the police, who are now investigating the case.
