Dildo Baggins sounds like a character from a B Grade movie ‘Fellowship of the Dong’ and there’s been some premature speculation that this is another feminist attack on the male integrity of New Zealand.

The name has been attributed to New Zealand MP Steven Joyce, after he was caught on the chin by a flying pink dildo during a political protest at Waitangi. Waitangi, in the province of Northland, the location of the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi – Tiriti o Waitangi (over 170 years ago) has often been the centre of political discord, on what is New Zealand’s national day.

The tribes of Northland, which host the Maori Parliament, have never concluded a settlement of grievances post treaty like most other regions, and some contend that they never ceded sovereignty of the country. The ‘treaty’ in that respect has been a state of siege and a great source of resentment to some Maori.

The contentious issue that plagued the Waitangi celebrations this year, the signing of the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement – a trade treaty which was recorded with equal hostility in some foreign papers as seizure and pillage of 40% of world trade) is viewed by many New Zealander’s with equal suspicion and hostility.

The case in question where the offending woman, Josie Butler, launched said dildo, ‘claimed rape of sovereignty’ not as some might suggest, that the minister was a rapist.

Added to this, is New Zealand Prime Minister John Key’s refusal to attend the Waitangi Celebrations as the Prime Minister normally does, after a war of words over the TPPA. Steven Joyce (often referred to as the Prime Minister’s baggage man and who gets the clean up jobs) went to Waitangi to front a press conference prior to the Waitangi Celebrations. (Given what transpired you can understand the man’s concern about being subject to a gagging order.)

Dildo Baggins (as carrier of the ring/trouble) is one of the best one liners we’ve seen in politics for a long time, and must be a contender for quote of the year (2016).

That’s politics – not a gender attack.

But here’s where we come to the sticking point. How do we treat people who launch any form of political attack?

This woman, was arrested, and later released without charge. It’s unknown at this point whether she received her weapon back, following the assault, on the minister.

But compare this to another recent case where protesters undertook an occupation of the Far North Airport in Kaitaia. One of the men arrested was charged with trespass but refuses to appear in court and is subject to a warrant to arrest.

“A beneficiary with an arrest warrant for criminal matters that hasn’t been cleared 28 days after its issue will get a letter giving 10 working days to clear it. If the warrant is not cleared within 10 working days their payments will be affected.”

This has led to the offender’s superannuation and war pension being suspended and a war veteran is without income.

Eighty-eight-year-old Māori war veteran Selwyn Clarke has been begging for money at Kaitaia markets after his pension was cut just before Christmas.

(Joyce is not the Minister for Social Development)

Was there insistence from the Minister in this case that this woman not be charged – political convenience?
Is this a White Knight situation – that a women not be charged?

Should the Police have upheld the rule of law and charged this woman (who probably also would not have shown up in court) in the same manner they did the man at the Far North airport, and left it to the courts to decide?

Was Josie Butler a beneficiary?

Are these people protestors or criminal offenders?

Is there a harsher standard applied to male political protesters than female political protestors?

Perhaps the question that we should be asking is: Do women have more liberty to protest than men, with the expectation of lessor consequences?