Look, we all thought Wanaka couple were white but not THAT white!

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‘Deeply sorry’ – William Willis and Hannah Rawnsley named as Wanaka holidaymakers

The identities can now be revealed of the Auckland couple accused of visiting a holiday home in Wānaka at the weekend after using their essential worker status to leave lockdown.

They are William Willis, 35, whose mother is District Court Judge Mary-Beth Sharp, and lawyer Hannah Rawnsley, 26.

The pair issued an apology on Tuesday evening, after declining to fight for further name suppression.

I think we all suspected that the Wanaka couple were white, I mean who else has the audacity to believe they can just lie about being essential workers to sneak past borders and traipse off to a million dollar bach other than privileged white people right?

But sweet black Jesus, this couple is soooooooo white they are milk on snow!

Mum’s a judge, she’s a lawyer and he’s a bloody male equestrian horse breeder?

Throw in the million dollar Queenstown ‘bach’ and the only thing that could make them whiter is National Party membership, volcanic pink salt & an Alpaca farm that plays Radio NZ and gives each Alpaca a subscription to The SpinOff.

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They are only sorry because they got caught and with all the frustration of lockdown they are now the collective punching bag for the nation.

It couldn’t have happened to nicer people.

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85 COMMENTS

  1. These types of selfish turds are our enemy. Who can blame them though for feeling so entitled when Jacinda entitles and enriches them during a global pandemic? They always win, they have assets enriching them over generations. They are the only thing that matters in NZ. Everyone else is worthless, Jacindas shown us so much. Why will she not at least pretend to care and tax these parasites?

    • Your obsessions are just that… obsessions… Without a shred of rationality, or sense… you are obviously suffering from a malady that affects your ability to keep a logical perspective on reality… As such, your mutterings are less than useful to anyone, much less yourself.. Get thee to a councilor son, it’s past time you did something about what ails you…

  2. Any other riff raff would be facing the most definte prospect of jail, especially were they not from the nice side of town.

    This lot, QC in tow, no way. This will drag out, he’ll reflect on being bullied at boarding school when he should have been made captain of the 1st/11, she, well she will cry, a lot, and just be a victim in all of this cadishness.

    Sundry donations to a charity, auction the Tesla off at an Auckland Boys Grammer fund-raiser and bingo, discharge without conviction.

    We’re all about to see exactly how the well heeled, well connected old boys and girls network operates.

  3. Maybe I am a soft touch but my opinion of them improved after their apology & stopping name suppression. Their mum said all the correct things also so that was impressive, a lawyer with a conscience.

    • Bonnie. Yes, you might be a soft touch. “ Their mum said.. “ Mum ? Mum ? The guy’s not a teenager, he’s 35, and he’s meant to be a man. An apology would probably have been first thing their QC advised them to do when they knew they’d been caught out. There were technicalities involved in the name suppression too.

    • Nah they just realized the Striesand land effect had made things a heap worse and no doubt pressure frkm other parties.
      Until yesterday avo they were trying to hide very proffesional scrub on the net Mum even transferred her shareholding in the business to help hide her name at 7 30am yesterday morning.

      • Textbook stuff, and now we are moving right along to the victim phase.
        Cue psychobabbler calling for more kindness to be shown to the pair etc etc. The net scrub was glaringly obvious. The relinquishing of mum’s 66 per cent share of the horse business was pretty bloody silly, and so was the hiring of a QC. One can only hope that this whole sorry saga has cost the players plenty of dosh. The judge needs to consider resigning. So should the lawyer.

  4. If this is about privilege it is more about legal privilege, the mum is a judge, the 26yo is a lawyer and the 35 year old is the son of a judge. But at least they issued apologies not like some, who go for name suppression for as long as possible!

    • saveNZ Their names were already out on social media, and one innocent woman with the same name as the female lawyer was being abused, and another lawyer was accused of being the 25 year old’s parent. It had to get cleared up.

  5. ‘If’ they get convicted. She’s out of a job as a lawyer and he’ll carry on riding horses. I reckon if they do get a conviction, they’ll both appeal and or apply to be discharged without a conviction by way of coughing up a fine and donation and PD in Wanaka! Wankas.

    • Although, apparently hundreds have already breached the rules… and police regularly turning people back with false paperwork, so will they prosecute equally? Maybe a new law firm,

      Lawless Lawyers. Could be a winner.

      I was posting about another lawyer recently, who decided he didn’t want to put in a tax return….. for 16 years. Eventually IRD got creative and took him to court… funny enough, the family finally paid their taxes!

  6. Does these two think that they live such enchanted lives that they should be ‘entitled’ to do the stupid things they did and all for purely selfish purposes?

    They would have known what they were doing was wrong but they just simply didn’t care or rather give a toss.

    Sure they may have apologised but would the ‘apology’ be genuine or made because they were told to apologise? Meaning their apology is probably as shallow and selfish as they are.

    Most Aucklanders are behaving responsibly and within the law of Level 4. We don’t have the luxury of a ‘pad’ in Queenstown or Wanaka. Most of us are hardworking NZers trying to make ends meet in a very difficult time.

    Lets hope these two don’t crop up later as Wannabe National MPs because we all know National are not very good as selecting MPs in their electorates.

  7. This is actually a story about jealousy and about class.I have broken the lockdown rules (visited a mate and picked up a tinnie) but i am small and insignificant so my breach is small and insignificant. Hundreds if not thousands of people commit small breaches every day. We reserve our greatest outrage for the wealthy. Are we upset that they went to Wanaka or are we jealous that they had a place in Wanaka to go to.

    • Peter. Not really. This was a major and convoluted breach – it’s a long way getting from Auckland to Wanaka. In her case, as an officer of the court, there’s a bigger onus to obey the law – the pair of them seemed to have misrepresented their status as essential workers too – minor infringers infringe at a lower level – sorry.

      And they were going skiing. In the mountain fraternity, the climbers and explorers have historically been seen as the real men ( sorry again) and historically they happen to have been predominantly European. The skiers have been seen as the playboys, the hedonistic lightweights, and these two were just out to enjoy themselves. (None of us would ever see Ed Hillary as a play boy, especially the people of Nepal.)These two are nothings, but nothing is likely to change their sense of entitlement, that the law only applies to the hoi polloi, and no court sentence may ever change that sort of mindset – that’s the real issue.

      • Not being able to practice law again ‘if’ she gets a conviction just might knock the privilege out of her?
        But my best guess is if they get convicted. They’ll appeal
        Win. Discharged without a conviction and a telling off and a public apology in front of a camera and all will be forgiven in the wealthy part of town because that’s probably the closest thing to a bashing they’ll ever get.

        Then trauma counselling in Wanaka!

        • Yep, they’ll get convicted and then face a huge conundrum with the legal rellies about whether or not to appeal. By the time it gets to court public interest will have died down, and the snow will have melted, but there’s always next year.
          If they’d stayed in a motel they’d probably not have been caught, but they mightn’t be the smartest little snow persons.

    • You surely can’t be that dumb. ‘Too stupid, to be stupid’ comes to mind. Who’s paying you to write such things?

    • It is the total privileged audacity of it, really well educated intelligent people, not going round the road to pick up something but blatantly using a ‘pass’ for something other than it was meant for.

      I hope they get the book thrown at them, apology, of course they would know they had to do that even if their QC hadn’t told them!

      Can you afford a QC or any of those others who have done trivial things as you have done.

    • Actually no Peter. If you are one of hundreds breaking the rules then you are all selfish a***s. Hundreds of thousands of us are not breaking any rules and are stuck in lock down because of the a****s who are.

      Equal condemnation for all non collegial cretins who cant manage their own behaviour for a month at a time for the common good. Shame on you.

    • Not really the same as you going to get a tinnie. How many people did you interact with, and how many different towns did you go to and the shops / restaurants you visited. This is not a minor breach, could have infected airports, rentals, and shops you not likely to do than scoring.

  8. COVID internet pile ons do become pathetic and wearisome after a while which is why I avoid Twitter like the proverbial. But, I have little problem with these two wankers getting a hard time in the context of previous appalling racism displayed towards Pacific residents of South Auckland, and David Seymour’s vote herding via Māori bashing.

    Yes, Hannah and William may become the proxies for a lot of Lockdown fever payback…but–what were they thinking? They were not thinking at all, just acting out their self anointed status of being “someones”. It was premeditated and sneaky and basically urinating on working class people doing it hard in cramped accomodation with reduced or no wages.

  9. Anger has been building up over this country for some time and these are the unfortunate people that are coping it .They are white and rich the very people that people love to hate wether it is out of envy or disgust at the divide now so append in this country.
    Why so angry ? We have a leader that has proven to be a false prophet an invisible Green party an Opposition struggling to find its identity let alone have policies . The rich are getting richer the poor are getting poorer those that risked all on a business to secure a future see it fading away escape to greener pastures is impossible and this is why the people are angry.
    I do not know what the answer is but for a short time we will all have to make do with outrage at this couple . Be aware you could be the next punch bag

    • I would replace “unfortunate” people with “entitled ” or ” elitist ” Trevor and don’t agree with false prophet analogy, otherwise I think you’re bang on.

    • They are not unfortunate.

      People are over, read pissed off being locked down in Auckland and none of us want it to go on a minute longer than need be. Some businesses will not survive.

      I don’t think it matters that they’re white, what matters is for such learned well educated citizens and one working in the law, they definitely knew better.

      If these fools who thought they were above the rest of us mortals spread this disease on the aircraft and any other place they went, then caused lockdown this be extended that was so avoidable, what would you think?

  10. And Hone cruising around the country during the first lockdown? To Auckland (Tamaki MaCovid?) and back to Northland while lecturing (never mind the road blocks) everyone else to stay at home. Did you have a rant about his skin colour then Martyn? Why bring race into it, it’s pretty weird don’t you think.

    • No I don’t think bringing race into it is weird.

      Can you imagine if either of these people were Maori, Pacific, Asian what would they have said in the news! Their race would most definitely have been part of the news. Sadly when they are pakeha it is never said.

      • He was visiting his brother in Auckland, hardly ‘work’ and no Michal, race wasn’t bought into it by the media and nor should it have been. I thought Hone got away very lightly, certainly in relation to the hostility this couple have received.

    • And Soymun Bridges driving around electioneering? Hone explained his one Auckland trip was for essential service reasons to resource the COVID checkpoints and learn correct techniques, not a bloody holiday jaunt.

      Hone has done more for the people of Tai Tokerau, both Māori and Pākehā, in terms of the Border Control and supporting remote communities with supplies and other assistance than the two privileged bludgers Willis and Rawnsley will likely ever achieve.

      • Hone was also sourcing PPE on his trip to Auckland and back. This was at a time when local chemists up here were charging $10 per mask. There is no comparison with what these entitled halfwits were up to. Apparently Judge Sharp’s idea of social distancing is to hide her involvement with her son’s horse business when the proverbial hit the fan.

  11. Maybe we should just adjust the rules to fit all those that don’t want to abide by the rules. Then no one will ever break the rules.

    • It is also enforcement of the rules. I watch weekly as the same entitled people and the the others less so break the rules around speeding particularly in grocery store car parks where it is 10 or 15 so you don’t kill innocent pedestrians and their children. We are very selective on our expectations of observing the law and enforcing it.

      These people who went to Wanaka are privileged yes but their attitude about observing and obeying the law when it suits them to is an example of how many other Kiwis behave , they seriously believe the law should not apply to them in case it gets in the way of their activities. Like doing 50 KMH in a carpark despite them seeing the speed sign and roadmarking informing them of the reduced limit.

      I have watched so many near fatals and thinking you can use a pedestrian crossing to get across safely …think again.

      Lives are in danger here to but no one is held accountable for their behaviour.

      • I agree totally.

        There would be no extended lockdown if all New Zealanders were observing the rules. And you are right, you can see this deliberate rule breaking behaviour amongst the selfish few, every day of the week. Even Susie Wiles did it ( the beach she went to was not in her immediate area) and I bet she doesnt do daily Covid tests despite her background. It is all about entitlement and lack of respect for others. The I know betters and the I dont cares.

        • Don’t tell lies. 5km is OK on a bicycle, and she did it on a bicycle. Please justify your statement, or withdraw it.

        • @Binky – Souxie Wiles did not break the rules. She rode a bicycle to the beach, reasonable close to where she lives, which she is allowed to do. And as for not wearing a mask, when I go walking for exercise I see many, many people not wearing masks. She was not required to wear a mask at the beach. I think the bigger issue with the pathetic attempt to shame her is the source of the diatribe – Judith Collins and her informant, the deceitful, disgusting Cameron Slater who revolts me.

          I agree with @In Vino’s response to your comment.

        • Blinky – Dr Wiles’s name isn’t Susie, it’s Siouxsie, as in the Indians who danced with wolves – kindly referenced 2x by Wild Katipo – thanks W. K.

          Her splendid contributions to our communal well-being place her far above “ the selfish few” she’s one in a million – or five million – and as for your betting that she doesn’t do daily Covid tests, so what ? Not your business, peanut.

  12. The anger? where does it come from? A dawning realisation, a small glimpse.

    Every now and then the facade falls away and we get to see the lives of those who actually run this joint.
    There is no connection to ‘us’, no team of 5 million. These are representatives of the crew that sit in judgement upon everyone else.
    It’s a bitter pill to swallow to finally realise that all the fine wordsmeans jack shit, those in control do whatever they want and we are, as always, mere peasants, servants, fodder.

  13. The law should and will treat them the same as anyone else, they will get diversion. And perhaps some community work in a poor neighborhood might be good for them to remind them how fortunate they are.
    They have apologized and public humiliation is often worse than the punishment. I know many people are angry and frustrated and what do you expect, being locked down for 5 weeks its a very long time. Yes they have put others at risks and what they did was stupid and selfish but they are not the first ones to do something like this and they won’t be the last. The sooner this lockdown is over the better as many people are getting overwhelmed and its not good for us all.

    • Why would they get diversion when the Mum went to jail even though actually it wasn’t about her but her kids seeing their dying father….

  14. Ha ! Yes. They’re undeniably absolute arse holes. Sorry arse holes but there’s no way around that one.
    Having written that, if I’d a been you arse holes the last fucking thing I’d a done would’ve been to apologise.
    What the fuck were you thinking? That just made you look like ‘snivelling’ arse holes.
    I’d a said something like this:
    ” Fuck off you jealous wankers! You’d a done the same thing so shove your hypocrisy past your cheap, sweat-shop, child-labour, The Warehouse undies and up your arses.

  15. The law should and will treat them the same as others and they will get diversion. And perhaps some community work in a poor neighborhood might be good for them to remind them how fortunate they are.
    They have apologized and public humiliation is often worse than the punishment. I know many people are angry and frustrated and what do you expect, being locked down for 5 weeks its a very long time. Yes they have put others at risks and what they did was stupid and selfish but they are not the first ones to do something like this and they won’t be the last. The sooner this lockdown is over the better as many people are getting overwhelmed and its not good for us all.

      • Yes, agree mostly. Sensible comment. So many of our people were in dire straits on Struggle Street before lockdown. I wonder how our violence and suicide rates have been lately? The public shaming of these two should cease. But they should also be made an example of through the courts. A short jail sentence of a few months followed by home detention is appropriate. That would placate the mob and send a strong message to other self centred wealthy elitists. Jmho

  16. Point of pedantry:

    (1) I think you meant bach, not batch

    (2) But down here in the South, we don’t have baches, we have cribs.

    (3) But in any event, their Wanaka holiday home, as illustrated in today’s ODT, looks far too fancy to be called a crib.

  17. Haha good lord very funny Martyn could not agree more. However let’s not forget they broke the law, apologise all they like ….and the two sisters who did the same thing up north are currently in custody….I bet they are not milky white apologizing their asses off. Admittedly they did a bonny and Clyde car chase and so effectively do bed themselves in before they could even broke the border…but what is different? They weren’t teenagers either so wonder why they were so desperate. Anyway, that whitey couple did exactly the same thing but with more money and sophistication, they better get the same treatment.

  18. I have absolutely no problem with you article slamming this pair of self-entitled idiot a-holes to hell and gone but as a long time breeder and farmer of Alpacas I see no reason for your ignorant slur by classing these great animals together with these two twerps.

    Shame on you in your callous ignorance

    Mike Moller
    Lallybroch Alpacas

  19. These two planned their holiday through deception, so definitely not a mistake on their self entitled part. Done without a care or thought for the people they came into contact with during their escape from Auckland.

    Obviously the public apology came via a QC prepared statement and not from the heart.

    I hope they get prosecuted and if made to do community service, they wear bright orange clothing with their names on the back identifying them. Anywhere in Auckland, or perhaps Wanaka would be good places to serve their time working.

  20. @saveNZ -and any other apologists…

    1. If they were truly contrite, why then didn’t they apologise immediately?
    A. Because they assumed that it would be hushed up and they’d get name suppression based on their ‘legal associations’.

    2. Why did the offer up their excruciatingly late apology?
    A. Because their names were already out in the public domain anyway, and they obviously know that.

    3. Are we all pissed off with them because they are from the upper side of society?
    A. NO – people were well pissed off, and expressing so well before their class and ethnicity were revealed.

    4. Should we be pissed off, after all they have apologised to the country for their stupidity?
    A. YES. They lied. They blatantly and deliberately tried to conceal the real reason for their ‘work travel’. While we are all doing the hard yards, they felt it was OK to break the rules designed to keep everyone safe.

    5. Should the people in Wanaka and the South Island be pissed off?
    A. YES. They don’t have any Covid cases. These two self-entitled adult brats could have jeopardized that, all so they could pleasure themselves skiiing and so on.

    6. Isn’t this public outburst of anger just a case of ‘white-hate’ and ‘privilege-hate’?
    A. NO. That’s a gross insult to everyone’s intelligence. It’s not our fault that they are white and wealthy!

    7. Why did Mummy transfer her horsey share holding?
    A. Because Mummy was trying to disassociate herself from the actions of these selfish individuals.

    • @ Fair Cop – I agree, especially the answers you have given to ‘1’ and ‘2’. I don’t know how the law or name suppression works but the general perception is that it is the domain of those with money and privilege. I wonder whether the hiring of the QC and the early name suppression thing was all part of the PR strategy to enhance their apology and garner sympathy once they were caught?

      The Maori woman who was jailed last year after she left MIQ with her kids to attend her father’s tangi did not have a QC or a PR specialists to spew out the spin that has happened with the Wanaka pair. In saying this, I mean no disrespect at all to the Maori woman. She has my undivided support and being imprisoned for what she did was really disproportionate not so much to breaking the law but the reason for doing so, which I can totally understand. Grief is a very powerful motivator.

      The so called deep remorse displayed by the Wanaka couple is a thin and very cynical veneer that does nothing to hide their arrogance and sense of entitlement.

      • Nah – the QC grab was a dead giveaway – if I did something really bad I’d want a QC too, tho’ I might have to rob a bank to pay her/him/it/ them/other.

        Aroha to the tangi lady, dwelling in grief, you’re right on there.

    • @ Fair cop. Actually after the reading the herald article and they deliberately drove to Hamilton and then bordered two flights, I am less on their side because it looks like open deception and they thought they would get away with it.

      Hope they do get a harsh penalty, not because they are white and rich, but because they are so entitled, one of them is actually a lawyer so clearly should know better, and they are surrounded by lawyer family members and the legal profession should remain impartial and penalise them as though they are a poor Maori couple, aka full extent of the law!

      As for the ‘stress’ factor, I am more sympathetic to those who might have financial stress worries or are alone and suffering from isolation, these two don’t fit that profile.

  21. ” Angry mob is angry ”
    Selective anger and a convenient target. Where is the anger at the many victims of this economy which is run for the 20 % and the establishment and their representative’s the politicians who lie and say they are going to ” build back better ” oh and a ” brighter future ” we all know who the brighter future was for.

    • Yes Mosa, it’s just an extremely lazy sentence to silent debate. Remember to use it next time the commenter complains.

  22. His mum is a judge, his partner is a lawyer. They should be law abiding citizens! They know what they were doing is wrong, they just didn’t think they will get caught. You do the crime, you do the time! They should both get sentence to 6 months once convicted!

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