A former employee of tech entrepreneur Sir Rod Drury has broken a confidential settlement to speak publicly, alleging the Xero founder kissed her over 50 times without consent, raising serious questions about NDAs silencing harassment victims across the Tasman.

The allegations, reported by Stuff, come from a woman who worked for Sir Rod and had previously signed a confidential settlement agreement—the kind of legal instrument that typically keeps workplace harassment claims quiet.

By breaking that confidentiality, she's taking a significant legal risk. But she's also joining a growing movement of people who believe these NDAs protect powerful men at the expense of victims and public accountability.

Sir Rod Drury is one of New Zealand's most prominent tech figures. He founded Xero, the accounting software company that became a rare Kiwi tech success story, and was knighted for his services to business and the community. He's regularly featured in business media and holds significant influence in NZ's tech sector.

That prominence makes these allegations particularly significant. If someone of Sir Rod's stature can allegedly harass an employee and have it covered up by a settlement agreement, what does that say about workplace culture in New Zealand's tech industry?

The allegations also raise questions about the honours system. New Zealand, like Australia and the UK, has processes to strip honours for serious misconduct, but they're rarely used and often depend on criminal convictions rather than civil allegations.

Workplace harassment has become a major issue across the Tasman, with New Zealand grappling with revelations in politics, media, and business. The use of NDAs to silence victims has drawn particular criticism, with calls for legal reforms to prevent them being used in harassment cases.

Mate, when someone risks legal consequences to speak publicly about harassment, that tells you how badly the current system is failing. Confidential settlements might protect reputations and businesses, but they don't protect the next person who walks into that workplace.

Sir Rod has not yet publicly responded to the allegations. His business interests and public profile mean this story is far from over.