Labour removes head of disability branch after alleged threats to woman
Monday, 14 April 2025
The Labour Party has removed Nick Stoneman as the chair of its disability branch after complaints of alleged mistreatment and threats to a woman.
Disabled woman Chelsea Taylor reported allegedly threatening voicemails and text messages to Labour, sent to her after a Stuff story was published about her experience with Stoneman.
Stoneman said he had no comment on the matter as it would be going before the courts.
The Labour Party has removed the chair of its disability branch following a complaint alleging he mistreated a disabled woman.
Stuff understands Labour has terminated the membership of its Kirk Disability Sector chairperson, Nick Stoneman, and he is no longer a party member or a Kirk sector member.
Stuff approached the Labour Party for comment and the general secretary declined.
Labour had formerly opened an investigation into Stoneman after receiving a complaint from Christchurch woman Chelsea Taylor.
Stuff previously reported that Taylor, who has autism, ADHD, and reactive attachment disorder, contacted the NZ Disability Advisory Trust (NZDAT) in January, requesting assistance with MSD.
She signed a Letter of Engagement with NZDAT which outlined the registered charitable trust’s fees, but because of her intellectual disability, said she didn't fully understand she would be charged.
She had befriended NZDAT co-founder Stoneman on Facebook two years earlier, knowing of him as an advocate for autistic and neurodiverse people.
She said she trusted him to help her navigate Work and Income benefits but she was charged $2616 for his services over 13 days.
Taylor also lived with Stoneman for a short period of time.
Stoneman said all his clients were aware of the trust’s fees and he was still awaiting payment. He denied being Taylor’s disability navigator and said the duties were carried out by other trust staff.
“We have professional standards, and I would immediately object to doing any work for anyone who is living under my roof,” Stoneman said.
Stoneman, who is also on the spectrum, went on to call Taylor a “narcissistic autistic”.
After the story was published, Taylor received a voicemail understood to be from Stoneman telling her she knew “who this is”.
“You are in very serious trouble, young lady, for publishing something that didn't need to be published. How dare you?” the voicemail said.
“I'm gonna keep calling you and I'm going to call the reporter… one of side of the story might be half the truth, but believe me, you've got nothing, and you're gonna get a barrage of phone calls right now, because I'm about to dish out your phone number like you dished out mine.”
The caller went on to call Taylor an “evil, evil, evil little witch”.
“If you ever, ever come anywhere near me ever again, I will not hold back on you and I will go to town on you. You are a liar.”
Taylor also received a text message from Stoneman’s phone saying she “won’t have any friends in the disability sector” after he was finished with her.
Taylor reported the messages and calls to the Labour Party, which terminated Stoneman’s membership on Thursday evening. Stuff understands a police report was also made.
Speaking to Stuff, Stoneman said he had no comment on the matter as it would be going before the courts.
Asked whether the voicemail he left Taylor was appropriate, he said: “Absolutely it's justified. As I said, this matter is before the court.”
He said Stuff and Taylor had collectively “destroyed” his business and political career, “all for the sake of a few lousy dollars”.
Stoneman said he “never left Chelsea any abusive messages. Not a word.”
When told Stuff had heard the voicemail, he said he didn’t believe Stuff heard it and wouldn’t respond further because “Chelsea is a liar”.
“All I have done is tried to maintain my dignity, my respect, my privacy, and I've had everything breached. Nobody seems interested in taking Chelsea down and someone will succeed in that,” he said.
A police spokesperson said police received a complaint on Thursday, “coded as potential threats and intimidation and are investigating the incident”.