Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Weak PM Won’t Hold Nash Accountable
“If Stuart Nash meets the standards required of a Cabinet Minister, the rest of Labour’s MPs must be even worse. It’s time for the voters to do what Hipkins won’t and turf them all out”, says ACT Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden.
“Even after further revelations about Stuart Nash trying to intervene in an immigration case, Chris Hipkins still can’t do what he should have on Wednesday morning and sack him completely.
“Just like Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins is a weak Prime Minister unable to hold his Ministers accountable.
“As ACT pointed out on Wednesday morning, then-Prime Minister John Key and then-Labour Leader David Cunliffe both agreed that Maurice Williamson’s interference in a Police prosecution was a sackable offence.
“Hipkins didn’t agree that this standard applied to his Minister and dug in, refusing to get rid of Nash completely.
“That indiscretion should have been sufficient justification for the Prime Minister to end Nash’s ministerial career.
“There were further revelations about an incident in 2020 when Crown Law investigated Nash for more inappropriate comments around the handling of a Police case and encouraged Attorney-General David Parker to censure him for his conduct.
“It appears Nash failed to inform Hipkins about that.
“Hipkins was asked by media on Wednesday whether he sought an assurance that Nash had done nothing similar and he said: ‘Yes I have, and I’ve received that assurance from him.’
“Nash breached the Cabinet Manual on at least two occasions by commenting on individual Police prosecutions. He boasted about it on the radio. He joked about it. It’s possible he hid one of his indiscretions from his boss. He tried to intervene in an immigration case.
“What do Ministers in this Government need to do to get sacked?
“Jacinda Ardern was hopeless at holding her Ministers accountable for unethical behaviour and poor performance. Chris Hipkins has been unable to show New Zealanders that his Government is any different.
“If Stuart Nash meets the standards required of a Cabinet Minister, the rest of Labour’s MPs must be even worse. It’s time for the voters to do what Hipkins won’t and turf them all out.”
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