National's Tauranga candidate Bob Clarkson has apologised for making lewd comments, saying he was just someone who "suffered from spontaneous remarks".
He was publicly admonished yesterday by his party leader, Don Brash, who said: "I don't want any candidates to be talking about their testicles to be quite frank."
Dr
Brash also gave Mr Clarkson a public telling off for a remark to TV3 reporter Sarah Gregory.
On Tuesday, when Ms Gregory approached Mr Clarkson for comment on sexual harassment claims against him, he said: "I'm having to stand up, my crotch is so sore".
However, the furore surrounding Mr Clarkson, Vivienne d'Or (the woman who accused him of inappropriate behaviour), and the man who made it an election issue - Winston Peters - quietened yesterday. Mr Clarkson and and Ms d'Or agreed to stop arguing in public.
On Tuesday, Ms d'Or had backed up Mr Peters' claim that she was harassed by Mr Clarkson when she worked as a contractor for him three years ago. Among other things, she said she objected to his repeated use of the phrase "I'll bet my left testicle".
Mr Clarkson denied the allegations and threatened legal action, but yesterday dropped that threat.
Despite chastising Mr Clarkson, Dr Brash stood by his candidate.
"Bob Clarkson is a rough diamond," he said. "I'm not going to defend everything single action that Bob Clarkson has undertaken. But he's a very competent individual ... I've got no doubt that as the member for Tauranga he would make a real contribution."
Mr Clarkson said he regretted the remark to Ms Gregory but it was intended as a joke. "I had a sore crotch because everybody was attacking it," he said.
He accepted he sometimes made inappropriate comments and said he would attempt to tone down his language, but his "funny sayings" were part of who he was.
"You won't take the fun out of Bob Clarkson," he said.
He and Ms d'Or had individually decided to put the sexual harassment allegations behind them, without speaking.
"She wants it to go away. I want it to go away," he said.
Ms d'Or refused to comment other than to say she and Mr Clarkson had decided to stop speaking to the media about the matter.
Mr Peters said he had done his public duty by revealing the allegations. "This has got nothing to do with politics whatsoever."
- additional reporting Ruth Berry, NZPA
