Accused groper Kyle Stutter keeps top job amidst staff shake up at Human Rights Commission

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Human Rights Commission chief financial officer Kyle Stutter faced disciplinary action for sexually harrassing a young intern, but kept his job.

Amidst a senior staff shake up at the Human Rights Commission, the commission's chief financial officer and accused groper Kyle Stutter has kept his job.

And his father believes the accusations against his son, who is living with him, have been blown out of proportion. 

The Human Rights Commission refused to comment on Stutter's employment status amid the public stepping down of three commissioners. 

Acting chief commissioner Paula Tesoriero  would not comment on employment matters of individual staff, but strongly refuted a link between the stepping down of race relations commissioner Dame Susan Devoy and two other commissioners, and the handling of the Stutter case.

The commission investigated a sexual harassment complaint against Stutter after a young American intern claimed she was groped by him at a work party in 2017.

 A review by retired Judge Coral Shaw into the sexual harassment claims found it was unable to provide proper care and support for the complainant.

Tesoriero said the review did not call for commissioners to stand down but for "the commissioners to cooperate professionally to provide clear and united strategic direction".

"The terms of three commissioners have expired or are about to," she said. 

"The three commissioners have chosen not to seek reappointment. They have made their own decisions as to when they will leave the Commission, providing clarity for those who work for, and with, the Commission."  

Visited at his Papakura home last night Stutter's father, Barry Stutter, confirmed his son was still working for the commission.

He said his son was doing OK but "he's just been given the rotten end of the stick".

Barry Stutter thought the incident had been "blown out of proportion" and that his son was being used as a "scapegoat".

"From the beginning I believe he's been set up. That's my personal opinion," he said.