Editorial: Ponytail saga has darker overtones

It is a very odd thing for anyone to pull someone else's ponytail, let alone a prime minister, says Anna Wallis. Photo / NZME.

Both journalism and workers' rights - particularly women's - have taken a hit with the story of the waitress who had her hair pulled by Prime Minister John Key.

It is a very odd thing for anyone to do, let alone a prime minister, and my sympathy is with the harassed woman who first of all had to put up with the jolly japes of Mr Key and now appears to have been done over in a story in the Herald.

There seems to be a bit of emperor's new clothes about this - no one wanted to tell Mr Key it wasn't funny and she didn't like it.

He, apparently, was immune to her discomfort. It is very hard to risk being unpopular and put a stop to so-called good-natured fun. And in this situation the balance of power is heavily weighted in Mr Key's favour.

Staff at cafes and bars have to put up with a lot of crap from people, but this goes way too far.

As well, management have a duty of care to workers. No custom is so important that a staff member can be humiliated to keep it.

Since the story broke on a blog site it was always going to be a media race to identify the woman. The Herald won. But the manner in which this was done seems highly suspect.

The clear identification of reporters and the purpose of a conversations remains a prerequisite to interviewing someone.

Was a ruse used to get her to talk? The appropriate behaviour of the prime minister, the owner of the cafe and the Herald are all up for close scrutiny here.