Altercation complaint centres on summit
The alleged incident between suspended minister Meka Whaitiri and her press secretary did not take place at Parliament but in Gisborne, the Herald understands.
Whaitiri was one of several ministers who attended the summit between the Crown and Ngati Porou in Gisborne on Monday last week.
It was there that an altercation took place which led to a complaint about the minister, which is being investigated by Ministerial Services, the employer of the press secretary.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led the Crown delegation to the summit but she was not aware of any incident until Wednesday night, she said last week.
It is thought there were no witnesses to the incident under investigation.
While the assumption has been that the complaint centred on an altercation at Parliament, it is understood it relates to the Gisborne visit.
Te Runanga Ngati Porou chief executive Herewini Te Koha said he could shed no light on what had happened and he had not heard about the incident.
Whaitiri will be absent from Parliament this week and possibly next week too, working from electorate offices.
Her electorate, Ikaroa-Ra¯whiti, stretches down the east coast of the North Island from East Cape to Wellington and she has offices in Gisborne, Hastings and Wainuiomata.
She will continue to be paid a ministerial salary which Ardern said was usual practice when people were subject to an investigation.
“Her role continues on as a member of Parliament whether she’s in Wellington or in her home constituency,” Ardern told reporters yesterday.
Whaitiri held the portfolios of Customs, Associate Agriculture, Associate Crown Maori Relations, Associate Forestry and Associate Local Government.
Ardern expected the investigation to take weeks rather than days but hoped it would be done as quickly as possible.
She said it was appropriate for Whaitiri to remain co-chairwoman of Labour’s Ma¯ori caucus.
“Yes, we’re making sure this process happens as quickly as possible. She’s stood aside from ministerial portfolios. All of her other roles remain for the time of the investigation.”
Labour Ma¯ori caucus cochairman Willie Jackson said at the weekend that it was appropriate for Whaitiri to remain cochairwoman of the Ma¯ori caucus.
“I think all New Zealanders would agree there has got to be . . . a process to go through before we try to shut Meka Whaitiri down.”
But Labour MP Peeni Henare told Maori TV’s Te Ka¯ea it offered an opportunity for others in the Ma¯ori caucus.
“We have a pool of options in our party,” Henare said.
“There’s plenty who could do the job and this could be an opportunity for them.”