Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has given his two cents on former Labour Party MPs who have defected to New Zealand First in recent times.
Leading up to this year's general election, three previous Labour MPs have joined the party.
Stuart Nash, who was a cabinet minister in the last Labour government before being sacked by Hipkins, is running as a candidate for New Zealand First in Napier.
Another former Labour minister – Rino Tirikatene – has also recently joined the party as a member. He previously had represented the Tai Tonga Māori electorate from 2011 to 2023.
Dover Samuels, who was a Labour MP from 1996 to 2008, had also made the move to New Zealand First.
When asked about it on Breakfast, Hipkins said: "It's clear Winston Peters has adopted a new recycling strategy when it comes to candidate's elections."
“I think he should change the name of his party. Instead of it being New Zealand First you could call it Labour’s seconds.”
Over the weekend at New Zealand First’s 33rd annual conference, Nash had acknowledged the defections and said “we didn’t leave Labour, Labour left us”.
Former National MPs Harete Hipango-Brownlie and Alfred Ngaro have also joined the party and were at its annual conference.
‘Disgraceful’ – Hipkins on Jones’ ‘knee pads’ comment
Hipkins was also asked about a comment made by New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones’ over the weekend which appeared to reference the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a speech at the conference, Jones said: "The next time you go to an ethno-nationalist rally to receive a foreign leader, take off your knee pads."
The remarks were labelled as “crass” and “unprofessional” by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday.
When asked about it this morning, Hipkins said: “Shane Jones would have been sacked a long time ago if he was a cabinet minister in any Cabinet that I led.
“His behaviour is absolutely disgraceful. His attacks on the migrant community are wrong, and they are causing a lot of harm within our communities. People feeling really vulnerable and targeted as a result of Shane Jones’ comments.”
Hipkins added this kind of “vulgar language” has “no place around a cabinet table”.
“Ministers should lead by example, they should set some basic standards of conduct and behaviour, and they should show some decency in the way they conduct themselves publicly.”
'Could have been to do with gardening' – Jones
Speaking to media this afternoon, Jones said his comment was a “colourful expression” which had been “sadly” read into.
“All I meant is, if you got to an event hosted for ethno-national purposes for a foreign leader, number one, don’t bow down.”
When asked if the comments were “crass” as Luxon put it, he said it was a “comment on the wokeism that riddles the modern media”.
Jones called it a “harmless and innocuous expression”.
“It could have been to do with gardening, volleyball. It has been turned into some risqué trope.”
When it was suggested it was Luxon which called his comment “crass” and not the media, Jones replied: “No. The Prime Minister is responding to media questions, and those questions are being driven by this ongoing virus of wokeism that the matua doesn’t like.”
Jones was also asked about Hipkins' "Labour's seconds" comment, to which he replied: "Chippy is a caretaker waiting for the undertaker."
"He has no credibility and he knows after the next election he will be on the unemployment list."
Hipkins' one word description of new ACT candidate
Hipkins was also asked to describe ACT’s newly announced candidate, former broadcaster Paul Henry, in one word.
"One word, far out," Hipkins replied.
"Colourful."
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a triumphant welcome for Spain’s footballers, and a 1 in 15 million birth in Australia. (Source: 1News)
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