Napier MP Stuart Nash says he has regrets following a political implosion yesterday which saw him stripped of the police portfolio.
His comments were made while in the East Coast today, standing alongside the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Justice Minister and East Coast MP Kiritapu Allan.
It follows his resignation yesterday after he admitted in a radio interview he had called the Police Commissioner Andrew Coster in 2021 to query whether the police would appeal a case.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB, Nash told host Mike Hosking: "I’ve seen a couple of judgements, and actually one I phoned up the Police Commissioner and said surely you’re going to appeal this?"
Despite the revelation and the similar blunder that saw him resign from Police Minister, it’s understood he will keep his other portfolios. (Source: 1News)
He was referring to a firearms-related conviction where a person received home detention. His actions, and comments admitting them, prompted accusations of interference with police which is contrary to Cabinet rules. Having been defiant in the face of reporters' questions yesterday morning, by 2pm Hipkins said he had asked Nash to resign the police portfolio.
Nash remains the Minister for Economic Development, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Today, Nash said there was "no doubt" he "fell way below the expectations of a Cabinet Minister".
"I stuffed up... If I was the Prime Minister I would have made exactly the same call.
"Everyone knows I love that police portfolio, the prime minister has stripped that portfolio from me. I’ve made a mistake, I apologise for it."
Asked why he should stay in Cabinet he said there was “a lot of work to do” on the East Coast.
"The Prime Minister’s made it very clear to me, if I stuff up like this again, then I’m gone. I will work incredibly hard to earn back the trust of the Prime Minister and the country and people will judge me on that.
Asked if he had read the Cabinet Manual, Nash said: “Yes, I’m aware of the Cabinet Manual”.
“I’ve been a Cabinet Minister for five and a half years now, when I became a minister I read the Cabinet Manual because it’s sort of required reading.
“I got it wrong. I admit that. There’s nothing else to say… I’ve paid the price.”
Hipkins said Nash was a “conscientious, hard-working minister who has made a mistake”.
“He’s owned the mistake, I’m confident he won’t make that mistake again.”
Asked if Coster should have reported the phone call, Hipkins said how the Commissioner discharged his responsibilities was “a matter for him”.
“I think the New Zealand public are ultimately very fair people, they’ll acknowledge that Minister Nash has made a mistake, that he’s owned his mistake, he’s paid a price for it.”
SHARE ME