Episode description
Episode description
Stuart Nash's rapid resignation from his treasured police portfolio - just two months after getting it back - is one of the clearest examples of a political own-goal. It's highlighted poor ministerial judgement and a pattern of recklessness - and cost his boss no small amount of political capital. In this week's Focus on Politics Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch recounts the self-inflicted demotion of Stuart Nash.
"I completely stuffed up" - Stuart Nash
Stuart Nash's rapid resignation from his treasured police portfolio - just two months after getting it back - is one of the clearest examples of a political own-goal.
It's highlighted poor ministerial judgement - as well as wider problems Labour has in the law-and-order space.
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It was a dream start to the week for Labour on Monday, with a positive poll and a policy purge which seized the political agenda. By midweek, however, attention had firmly shifted to the sudden removal of Stuart Nash as police minister - with no one to blame but himself.
Nash had messaged Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking on Tuesday night with a request to talk gangs. He began their on-air chat the next day touting police statistics, but soon shifted to his general frustration with the judiciary over what he perceived as light sentences.
"There's been a couple of times when police have put these guys in front of judges," he said. "And actually, one I phoned up the police commissioner and said 'surely you're going to appeal this'.
"This bloke didn't have a licence, had illegal firearms, illegal ammunition and had guns without a licence - and got home detention. I think that was a terrible decision by the judge. Judges need to read the room on this."
Neither Nash nor Hosking seemed to think much of it and soon moved on to other things, but it was a spit-take moment for ACT leader David Seymour who was starting the day with a bowl of cornflakes.
The Cabinet Manual is clear: ministers must not criticise decisions of the court - not publicly, and especially not to the Police Commissioner who by law must remain independent when it comes to prosecutions.
Seymour was soon striding the press gallery corridors, and by the time Nash's event on Parliament's precinct - awarding space scholarships to five Kiwi students - finished, he was met by a pack of reporters.
Read more:
Stuart Nash demoted, now on 'final warning' - Hipkins
Political editors panel: Nash, policy purge, and polling
Nash faces more calls to step down over previous case of interference
Nash admits he 'stuffed up', wants to retain other portfolios…