MP stripped of ministerial roles
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has fired embattled MP Meka Whaitiri as a minister over an incident with a staff member.
Whaitiri was stood down on August 30 and an investigation was launched after it was alleged she shouted at and manhandled a member of her staff three days earlier.
Ardern has received a report from the investigation and said while Whaitiri was still disputing aspects of the event, there was no doubt that an incident had taken place.
Whaitiri will remain as the MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti and will still be the co-chair of Labour’s Ma¯ ori caucus.
It is understood the incident happened while Whaitiri was in Gisborne for an announcement by the prime minister and other government ministers and missed the press conference because of a communication breakdown in her office.
The staff member had been in Whaitiri’s office for only a matter of days.
Ardern said she got the report on Wednesday night and spoke with Whaitiri yesterday morning.
‘‘Meka Whaitiri continues to disagree with aspects of the incident, but there are aspects which are agreed,’’ Ardern said.
‘‘I no longer have confidence in Meka Whaitiri as a minister.’’
As MPs still have staff Ardern said Whaitiri would be undertaking training in how to manage them.
Ardern said for privacy reasons the report would remain confidential for now but she has asked for a version to be prepared that could be made public.
Police have said after speaking to the alleged victim that they are not pressing charges.
Whaitiri said at the time she would be ‘‘co-operating fully’’ with the investigation and had nothing further to say.
Stuff has been told Whaitiri was advised by a lawyer.
The inquiry was conducted by ministerial services, an arm of the Department of Internal Affairs.
Different sources have offered differing versions of events but all agreed Whaitiri got physical during the confrontation after yelling at the staffer.
The press secretary was a new addition to the office, which Stuff understands has gone through an entire rotation of staff during Whaitiri’s time as minister.
Some former staff have described unpleasant conditions.
National leader Simon Bridges said Ardern had once again failed to take decisive action, referring to the earlier firing of Clare Curran from Cabinet.
‘‘This is the second minister to lose their job in two weeks – one has allegedly assaulted a staff member and the other repeatedly misled the public,’’ Bridges said.
‘‘Each time the prime minister has taken only half measures to get things under control.’’
‘‘Now she’s demoted Meka Whaitiri from Cabinet but left her in charge of Labour’s powerful Ma¯ori caucus – and she’s left a trail of unanswered questions.
‘‘Not only is the prime minister supporting someone who has shown no remorse but someone who denies anything happened.’’
Whaitiri has returned to Parliament on several occasions and said she was ‘‘humbled’ by the support of her electorate.
Members of the Ma¯ ori caucus have also visibly offered Whaitiri support, but Ardern said they had not lobbied her to keep Whaitiri on.
Ministerial staffers sign eventbased contracts which mean ministers can fire them very easily if the relationship breaks down, with no real recourse for the employee other than a payout.
Whaitiri was a minister outside of Cabinet with responsibility for customs and associate agriculture, local government, and Crown/Ma¯ ori relations.
Kris Faafoi will retain the role of Customs Minister while her associate portfolios will sit with the lead ministers of each portfolio.
Ardern said no reshuffle was planned.
‘‘I no longer have confidence in Meka Whaitiri as a minister.’’ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern