Denis O'Rourke A New Zealand First MP is facings scrutiny over the relationship he has with a man who lives on the same property, and who he employs. Denis O’Rourke clearly denies being in a relationship with Stephen James – it would only be an issue if he was because MPs are not allowed to employ their partner, husband or wife in or outside Parliament. The New Zealand Herald has run a story about the situation, which the Speaker is looking into after a complaint from a Queenstown man, complete with a picture of James checking the mail at the property. O’Rourke and James have both stated to the newspaper they are not in a relationship. "We're deliberately not partners and whatever it takes to convince people we're not partners, that's what we'll do,” O’Rourke has told the New Zealand Herald. “We don't intend to be partners, we've agreed not to be partners, we don't do the things that partners do, so we're not partners." Friday update: GayNZ.com offered O'Rourke the chance to expand on the situation, or share his thoughts on the NZ Herald story, but he says he feels no need to say anything more.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 1st May 2014 - 5:06pm