Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri is standing aside from her portfolio while an investigation into “staffing matters” in her ministerial office is carried out.
Ardern says she was advised of the issue on Wednesday night, but won’t reveal more information on it due to privacy concerns.
Kris Faafoi will be the Acting Minister of Customs while Ministerial Services investigates the matter.
Whaitiri’s Associate Minister responsible (Agriculture, Crown/Maori Relations, Forestry, Local Government) will revert to the lead portfolio Ministers.
“Meka Whaitiri has told me she will be fully cooperating with the investigation, which will be thorough and conducted as quickly as possible,” Ardern says.
Whaitiri is a Labour MP from the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate.
12 Comments
I thought that Jacinda's problems would have more likely to have come from her coalition partners and especially New Zealand First.
However with issues with Stuart Nash (twice), Claire Curran (twice) and now Meka Whaitiri (and all within Cabinet) means that this is surprisingly not the case.
Being gay, maori and a woman she is near the top of the victimhood hierarchy and so nearly untouchable by any criticism. She'll get time-out for a while but be back as a minister before the end of this term - Labour has a severe shortage of women ministers (just made worse by Curran) which is a real problem for their virtue signalling operations.
The Curren deceit and Ardern limp biscuit response story made page 3 briefly, this Whaitiri accusation of toxic relations with her staff gets passing MSM mention. Little to see here, an enquiry is underway so it's all good, move along.
A bell is ringing, something about a National born to rule type MP down south who was also in the gun for beating up his staff. For week after week we were deluged with MSM stories while this hapless prat was relentlessly hounded by media from the day the story broke. Rightly so I think. But I'm struggling to see the difference. All were MP's, but these two are ministers which you'd expect would drive even more media interest. But no. We get a bit of 'more in sorrow than anger, trust our Jacinda to do the right thing' stuff but the attack dogs remain largely muzzled.
@ middleman
Let's see what Jacinda does before we all pile on - can we at least give her till Monday?
On the flip side, these issues seem to have been building. Meka Whaitiri's electoral office has a high staff turnover - the woman sounds like a menace!
Sunshine and lollipops isn't going to do it this time. Jacinda to many is the Queen of Hearts, so off with her (Meka Whaitiri's proverbial) head I say!
It's going to be OK, these things happen. Meka Whaitiri, if guilty of assult needs to leave Parliament.
Pass the 'Waka Jumping Bill' then kick her out of cacus, which will require her to leave Parliament? - we'll have a wee by-election - job done!
Put the fear of God up the rest of them. The fear of God means to take God (Jacinda in this case) seriously and at her word.
It's totally ok Jacinda, so long as you indicate sternly and most importantly, unapologetically that this could very well be the case.
As for Winston and people's surprise that these issues aren't coming from New Zealand First - he's an asset to Jacinda - having had a lot of experience in Parliament and having been round all the traps.
I really think this is going to be fine, BUT Meka Whaitiri needs to be thrown out on her .. ear.
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