It’s been a busy day in politics.
The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today that following an inquiry into allegations she assaulted a staff member Meka Whaitiri has lost her ministries.
Meka Whaitiri will be removed as a Minister with immediate effect Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today.
The decision was made after receiving a report into an incident that occurred on 27 August in Gisborne, involving Meka Whaitiri and one of her staff.
“While the facts are in dispute, the report says an incident occurred. Meka Whaitiri continues to contest details of the incident, but there are elements which are agreed,” Jacinda Ardern said.
“For privacy reasons I don’t wish to divulge further details of the investigators report as it is an employment matter and protecting the privacy of the staff member involved is paramount to me.
“Based on the context and conclusions of the report, I no longer have confidence in Meka Whaitiri as a Minister at this time, and that is why I have taken the action I have.” Jacinda Ardern said.
Meka Whaitiri was stood aside from her portfolios on 30 August while the investigation was undertaken.
Kris Faafoi will retain the role of Minister of Customs and Meka Whaitiri’s Associate Minister responsibilities will sit with the lead portfolio ministers. There are no plans to undertake a Cabinet reshuffle.
With Curran already out that leaves a lean female line up for Labour.
Faafoi also picked up some of Curran’s workload so is going to be a very busy minister, but still outside Cabinet.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018Might as well repeat what I posted in Media Watch earlier
Jacinda Arden has sacked Meka Whaitiri
was the first up headline item on 1ewes tonight. The Parliamentary Services(?) report she has received says that while the facts are disputed, that an incident occurred was confirmed.
Jacinda’s announcement appeared to be very focussed, was short and sharp, & determined – & she left the office space immediately afterwards, in excellent Helen Clark style.
The “she is weak” complaint of Bridges (he made it on screen, duh?) has been firmly countered.
PDB
/ September 20, 2018She couldn’t drop the news late Friday as she had a plane to catch and this was the latest she could do it. Unfortunately your positive words for her was totally outdone a couple of days earlier;
“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has sat down with supermodel Rachel Hunter and author Emma Mildon for a podcast episode titled ‘How to Lead with Love and Grace’.
In the latest podcast from the 11:11 series, Ms Hunter and Ms Mildon praise the Prime Minister’s “divine feminine grace” and “beautiful energy and power”, calling her the “mother of a nation” and a “goddess”.”.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/09/supermodel-rachel-hunter-interviews-goddess-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern.html
PDB
/ September 20, 2018and before you ask, no I didn’t downtick you…
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018fixed
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018No I just read what you wrote. Reversed.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018(Because nobody thinks Rachel Hunter’s a genius)
PDB
/ September 20, 2018She should have stuck to licking a trumpet.
Corky
/ September 20, 2018Meka not taking it well. A bully who probably lasted longer than she should’ve because she’s Maori. Next will come the cries of racism…and putting mardee down.
All grist for the mill.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018I’m waiting to see what fallout if any there is on that score. 1ewes reported it from the angle she is a known bully – or at least implied it in the way they reported she has a reputation for and has been accused of bullying staff before, most notably when working for Parakura, when Helen Clark had to step in to sort matters out.
There are still many MPs and cabinet ministers who are Maori. One assumes this would have been canvassed with them.
PDB
/ September 20, 2018Seems to be a half-way decision – take some action against Meka without pissing off the Maori Labour MPs.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018Not a decision to be taken without careful consideration of the impacts and implications. That has obviously been done.
Maggy Wassilieff
/ September 20, 2018I thought the Labour Party was opposed to bosses bullying common workers.
What a bloody indictment of a Party that once stood up for working folk.
Corky
/ September 20, 2018The problem Maggy is Labour isn’t made up of working class folk. They are mostly bureaucrats and tit suckers. The rest belong to the pink holster brigade. They are repressed Tories.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018The boss taking decisive punitive action after an investigation to establish the facts ?
It’s a sound move, Maggy. For precisely that reason.
Allegations of staff bullying aren’t the preserve of this government.
Maggy Wassilieff
/ September 20, 2018I’m not criticizing Ardern for demoting Whaitiri… tho’ she should have done that weeks ago..
I’m criticizing the Labour Party for allowing a bully (with a track record , it appears) to move up in its ranks.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018Ok.
PDB
/ September 20, 2018In case you missed it, still one item she hasn’t dealt with which had info slipped out late today as well…because she was off overseas Thursday afternoon became in effect the typical Friday afternoon of this govt.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018They’re learning. Getting as slick as Johnny Boy’s mob.
Gezza
/ September 20, 2018The Haumaha Enquiry is a real time-bomb PDB. Doesn’t matter what happens one or probably more groups of supporters are going to be outraged and vocal about it. This one could bounce around splintering factions and reverberate all over the place for months.
Trevors_elbow
/ September 21, 2018Her political advisers have been poor. Meka should have gone weeks ago.
But at least she has finally acted…