An Australian academic who accused an Auckland University of Technology (AUT) professor of sexual harassment has received a public apology over the university's handling of the case.
Max Abbott resigned from his role as AUT's Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences dean in mid-2020 after Marisa Paterson, who at the time was a scholar at Australian National University, filed a complaint in 2019. The allegations detailed in the complaint included prolonged and persistent stalking, sexual and physical harassment and bullying by Abbott over two years.
Dr Paterson, now a Labour MP in Australia's ACT, said the pair exchanged text messages for 2.5 years and alleged he threatened her career when she cut contact with him.
She subsequently took the case to New Zealand's Human Rights Commission (HRC) and an independent review was carried out by Kate Davenport QC.
"I made the complaint in the beginning because I wanted harmful behaviour to stop and for the situation to be investigated," Dr Paterson said. "My desperation in lodging a formal complaint was extreme - my career was everything to me and I knew that making a complaint would have significant implications."
AUT chancellor Rob Campbell said the university recognised its investigation into Dr Paterson's complaint was inadequate.
Campbell said AUT's communication with Dr Paterson failed to recognise the "very sensitive and serious" nature of the issue.
"On behalf of Auckland University of Technology, I would like to express our unreserved apology to you for our handling of your complaint of sexual harassment by a former AUT staff member," Campbell said in a statement.
"We would also like to recognise your courage in coming forward and to thank you for providing the opportunity for AUT to learn from this and initiate a process of culture change which we are confident will improve the experience of people learning and working in the university."
Campbell said they hoped the apology would help support Dr Paterson "in a pathway forward".
Dr Paterson said in a statement on Thursday she had suffered long-term distress as a result of her experience.
"The independent report that was commissioned by AUT and this apology, are public recognition that I did not experience the appropriate or adequate response to the harm I experienced.
"In addition to the sexual harassment, the harm that is imposed on an individual to fight an institution for an adequate response, in public, is significant.
"But today, what I went through is being publicly recognised. And my voice today is being heard - most importantly by AUT.
"I believe my experience will contribute to AUT, and hopefully other NZ workplaces, being safer work environments - and that does give me some peace. I look forward to seeing AUT as a leader in New Zealand tertiary institutions and workplaces to ensure they uphold the highest standards of behaviour and respect in their workplace and beyond."
If you have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment or assault and would like to speak to someone, you could call the HELP support service.
- Auckland: (09) 623 1700 or visit helpauckland.org.nz
- Wellington: (04) 801 6655 or visit wellingtonhelp.org.nz
