The woman at the centre of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key's hair-pulling scandal has not made a formal complaint against him but that hasn't stopped a third party from raising it with the Human Rights Commission.
Serial litigant Graham McCready - who previously sparked the resignation of another MP with a private prosecution - said on Thursday he has laid a sexual harassment complaint against Mr Key.
Mr McCready told TVNZ his complaint alleges Mr Key breached the country's Human Rights Act.
The former accountant says he is seeking compensation for 26-year-old waitress Amanda Bailey.
Mr Key has publicly apologised to the waitress for persistently pulling her ponytail while visiting the Auckland cafe where she worked over a six-month period, despite her trying to discourage it.
The Rosie Cafe worker initially posted her description of events anonymously on the left-wing blog site The Daily Blog but on Thursday she was named by the New Zealand Herald newspaper.
The Human Rights Commission has declined to comment on whether it has received any complaints about the hair-pulling prank despite voicing its support of an open letter that described Mr Key's actions as sexist.
The commission says any inquiries and complaints it receives are confidential.
But it appears Ms Bailey has not lodged a complaint.
"Those involved in this incident are not in touch with the commission so it is unfair to all involved to comment beyond statements already made," it said in a Facebook post.
Human Rights Commissioner Jackie Blue - a former MP - has already spoken in support of an open letter to Mr Key from the National Council of Women saying the cafe worker's repeated harassment was sexist.
"It's never OK to touch someone without their permission. There are no exceptions," Dr Blue said.
Another former MP, Marilyn Waring, said Mr Key's behaviour was unlawful under the Human Rights Act.
"The prime minister is a sexual harasser and he has engaged in illegal activity," she said.
