Shane Jones has been embroiled in controversy once or twice during his political career and today as Forestry Minister he held up a spade during a speech, saying he'd been told to make sure he doesn't use it to dig himself out of the Sh**.
The moment drew laughter from the audience at the launch of the new forestry service Te Uru Rākau in Rotorua, and also prompted a clever response from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"I discussed with Martin Dunn, my director general, whether I should stand and give this speech with this handsome spade," Mr Jones said, holding up the spade.
"He said to me 'providing you're not using it to dig yourself out of the sh**'."
"Now I am both blessed by having such an illustrious New Zealander as my CEO, I'm also cursed by the fact he's difficult to argue with when you're with a commander of the SAS of the New Zealand Army," he said to hilarity from the audience.
Up next to the podium, Ms Ardern gave her welcomes.
"And a special mention of course to my colleague the Honourable Shane Jones. And I have to say if that spade that you were holding up is the one that you dig yourself out of holes [with] it would look a lot dirtier than that one does," the PM said, to more laughter from the gathering.
The Minister and PM did actually use spades to plant native trees as part of the launch ceremony for Te Uru Rākau, the new separate forestry agency.
The also announced an allocation of $15 million in operating funds for the agency, as well as the make-up of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group of 10 experts to assist the Government with it's plan to plant one billion trees.
Mr Jones said it's a day of joy.
"This is not only a day of joy for industry, it's a day of joy for ordinary Kiwis who genuinely believe that trees, forests, work and jobs belong in the four winds of Aotearoa. And forestry is a platform for us to do that," the Minister said.
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