Kiwi Property manager Mark Hamilton under fire after calling blogger a ‘pedophile’ over work email

A manager at a high profile property development company is being spoken to by the company after using his work email to make “inappropriate and disappointing comments” to the author of a blog on gender affirming care and puberty blockers.

Mark Hamilton, a seismic programme manager at Kiwi Property, sent an email to blogger Emily Writes telling her to “Take me off your list. I don’t do genital mutilation of minors – it’s sick”.

Writes had posted a Q&A on transgender health with answers from Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa president Jennifer Shields and Massey University senior lecturer and Storm Clouds and Rainbows author Julia de Bres.

Areas covered included what puberty blockers are, and the process for getting them, and England’s Cass Review of gender-affirming healthcare for children.

On Facebook, Writes posted screen grabs of two emails sent to her by Hamilton. A second email from Hamilton – which appeared to be a reply to Writes – read: “Ok pedophile (sic)”.

Those emails were now being looked into by Kiwi Property, the largest NZX-listed landlord in New Zealand.

“We’ve been advised that one of our staff members made inappropriate and disappointing comments from their company email address yesterday”, a spokesman for the company told the Herald.

“Kiwi Property works hard to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, and we do not condone this behaviour. We take this matter seriously and are now working with the individual concerned to address the situation.”

Hamilton declined to comment when contacted by the Herald, although he did say Writes had “doxxed him” with her Facebook posts.

Doxxing is when a person’s personal details, such as their phone number, are shared publicly.

Writes couldn’t immediately be contacted this afternoon, but her Facebook post – which included screen grabs showing Hamilton’s work landline and cellphone numbers, and his email address – had received 183 comments and almost 400 reactions.

“I have a great new post up! Mark didn’t read it but you can! Thanks for the feedback Kiwi Property!,” Writes wrote above the screen grabs.

Writes thanked Kiwi Property for their response.

“Good on Kiwi Property for getting in touch so quickly.”

Many of those commenting shared their own thoughts on Hamilton’s emails, including some looking into his social media and the code of ethics at his employer.

Others posted screen grabs of their own email complaints to Kiwi Property about the emails.

“His LinkedIn shows he’s really combative with lots of other topics too. He really needs major help with his anger and communication skills,” wrote one.

Hamilton’s LinkedIn appeared to have been taken down by this afternoon.

Another wrote: “It looks as though Mark is breaching the Kiwi Property code of ethics”.

Almost all of those who commented were in support of Writes.

“You can have as many opinions as you like but using company email is pretty idiotic.”

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.