𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕘 ℕ𝕒𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕆𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕣'𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤

𝔸 𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕘 ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕘𝕪𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣.

B

ryce Beattie, a 26-year-old IT business development manager who lives in Christchurch, is the account holder behind an IP address used to create a fake social media account that targeted MP Megan Woods, city councillor Sara Templeton and other female politicians.

Beattie denies any involvement or knowledge in the harassment, but accepts the activity must have occurred from his property.

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He said he had numerous flatmates over the past 12 months, and currently lives with two other people. One of those flatmates is also understood to be a Young Nat.

Beattie announced earlier this month he was standing for a community board in the Hornby ward.

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But on Thursday he said he would no longer be standing for the board seat in the October election.

He made the announcement on his candidate Facebook page, but has limited who can comment on the post.

“This afternoon I’ve reflected over the past 24 hours and have decided I will not contest the local body elections this October.

“The last thing I want is for this to become a distraction for raising voter turnout in this election, nor prevent the genuine debate for policy.”

He said he would continue to contact Netsafe to understand what information it had and provide any assistance he could in relation to the matter.

Earlier on Thursday the National Party launched an investigation into the bullying.

The investigation was announced soon after Woods called on National leader Christopher Luxon to take action.

Luxon said he was appalled to hear of these “completely repugnant and cowardly actions”. 

“No one should be subject to any form of bullying and I commend those affected for coming forward,” he said.

“National does not tolerate any bullying and the party will look into this under our new code of conduct.”

National Party president Peter Goodfellow and Young Nationals president Stephanie-Anne Ross​ have come out strongly against the behaviour.

In a joint statement on Thursday, the pair said the allegations were appalling and they were glad those affected had shone a light on the behaviour.

“This type of behaviour is not acceptable, and it is important for all parties concerned to see that it is stopped immediately.”

Woods said earlier that Luxon needed to ask the right questions about this because leadership and culture mattered.

“The question for him (Luxon) is what is he going to do about it?”

Woods said the Labour Party would not accept this type of behaviour.

“This is not the way a member should behave.”

Online bullying of female politicians linked to Young Nat's house https://t.co/pcwFmVz1s1

— greg jackson (@therealgregjack) March 30, 2022

A fake social media account, which originated from Beattie’s house under the false name Hamish Eggstein, was used to target Woods, Templeton and Ilam Labour MP Sarah Pallett.

The Eggstein profile asked Woods how much in royalties she was receiving for letting a pork crackling company use her likeness. The packet cover had a picture of a pig.

It asked Templeton if the menstrual products she used were eco-friendly and would save the Earth.

Templeton was also subjected to dozens of inappropriate comments and messages from that profile, which was set up in December 2020 and was only taken down once Templeton went public about the abuse last July.

All three women blocked the profile from their social media pages, but then the Eggstein profile started making comments about Templeton on other people’s social media posts, including those of fellow councillors.

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Beattie was revealed as the holder of the household IP address after Templeton successfully made an application to the district court under the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

The court ordered Facebook to release information it held on the Eggstein profile, and it sent the court an IP address.

The court then ordered the telecommunications company linked to the IP address to release the details of the account holder. Beattie’s details were then revealed to Templeton via the court.

Templeton, who publicly called out online bullies last year, said she made the application to draw attention to the wider culture of harassment, misinformation and misogyny she said was prevalent in politics.

She hoped there was a culture review within the Young Nats and a change in expectations and behaviour in other political organisations too.

Templeton said she had contacted Netsafe and the police to start looking at next steps.

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