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Megan Woods and David Parker will take over Stuart Nash's ministerial roles after the Napier MP's dismissal

Public Policy / news
Megan Woods and David Parker will take over Stuart Nash's ministerial roles after the Napier MP's dismissal

Megan Woods, David Parker, and Meka Whaitiri will temporarily take over Stuart Nash’s ministerial responsibilities after the MP for Napier was booted from Cabinet on Monday night. 

Nash was dismissed from all his portfolios last night after Stuff revealed he had emailed some donors details about private Cabinet discussions about commercial rent relief in March 2020.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the email he sent set out both his opposition to the decision reached and the position that other ministers took.

“Stuart Nash has fundamentally breached my trust and the trust of his Cabinet colleagues and his conduct is inexcusable.”

Two recipients of the email, Troy Bowker and Greg Loveridge, were both donors to Nash’s campaigns and commercial property owners with an interest in the decision. 

Minister Megan Woods, number five on Labour’s party ranking, will take on the bulk of Nash’s workload as Acting Minister for Economic Development and Acting Minister of Forestry.

This is in addition to her existing responsibilities which include the housing, energy, and construction portfolios. She is also an Associate Minister of Finance. 

Veteran minister David Parker will step in as Acting Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, while Meka Whaitiri , MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti a Māori electorate which includes the Hawke's Bay region, will lead the Hawke's Bay Cyclone response on an acting basis.

This means the Hawke's Bay Cyclone response will be led by a minister outside of cabinet, at least temporarily. 

Bye-byelection 

Stuart Nash has told media he will stay in parliament as the Napier MP until October in order to avoid a by-election, despite the National Party calling for him to step down immediately. 

Former advertising executive Katie Nimon had already been selected as the party’s candidate to challenge Nash for the Napier seat. She currently works as the transport manager for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Nash has held the Napier seat since winning it from National in 2014, despite the Labour Party losing the general election. He comfortably beat Nimon in 2020, with 51% of all votes to her 37% that year.

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72 Comments

The wheels are falling off....

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14

Yes, most of the issues were under the previous Leader.

How much more will come to light?

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13

Cue background music, Glenn Frey - “The Heat is On.”

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2

Just as well that they had a policy bonfire and dumped a lot of work as Chippy is rapidly running out of cabinet ministers with experience and skills (and I am not implying that Nash had either) 

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10

... the Ardern government began 2018 looking like a Reliant Robin ... wobbling along on 3 wheels  ... handling very badly , hard to keep a straight line ... taking a tumble around the corners ...

And now , one of the three wheels has fallen off !

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4

Speaking of Reliant Robins, the current government is starting to look about as hooky as Del Boy and the genuine made in China antiques he used to flog out the back of his three wheel van. 

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6

This animated GIF reflects Labour from 2017 to today (keeping in the Reliant Robin theme):

https://media.tenor.com/ZBoMPCQvWrgAAAAd/race-robin.gif

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5

The wheels fell off many years ago my friend. But even Nationals list of labours fails has disappeared. I think they stuffed up health first.

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1

The guy is a loose cannon. I was hoping he would last a bit longer and explode instead of getting the boot but oh well. 

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8

What other job can you stuff up badly, compromise your organisations integrity, lose all your responsibilities, and stiĺl stay employed on full wages for 8 months , doing nothing.

They should be unpaid and return to their electorate and front the voters

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27

... d'yer reckon  Nashi will be a good boy & sit quietly in the back row between now and October 14 ...

He'll be breathing belligerent down the back of Hipkins neck ... " I know where you live ... I know what keeps you awake at night .... ssssss ... I know where the skeletons are ! " ...

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5

I don't think he has to get to October does he? Isn't there a grace period before an election? where if an MP leaves you just hang tight until election day.

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1

So which of his 'donors' leaked the email?

Given that Greg Loveridge is a former speech writer for the Labour Party I doubt it was him.

My guess is Troy Bowker isn't keen on Labour getting back in..........

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6

It could be an internal hit job - the sender and recipients aren’t the only people that may have known about this and there could be more, worse things out there.

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6

Newshub report that the emails found their way to PM Ardern’s office but the PM herself was never actually informed. That’s the beauty of a thick cordon of censors and protectors, the three monkeys maxim, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

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9

The old "Plausible deniability"

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2

I would'nt mind a bi election.

Spending another few million on " a great precurser " to the election inorder to get a feel for the main event seems more exciting than anything else on TV / radio.

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9

ssssssshhhhhh ! .... don't say " bi election " ... Posie Parker will misinterpret that completely  , and be back here protesting that only heterosexuals should be elected  .... 

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8

Any speding on a by elelction just gets spent through the economy. As long as they don't spend it on advertising that goes to overseas companies, isn't it a good thing? IMO it isn't good to use the cost as a justification not to have a by-election, if that is what is needed, as we do live in a democracy. 

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0

Petition for Marama Davidson to resign for her antiwhite comments. About 2400 signatures now.

https://www.change.org/p/remove-marama-davidson-as-minister-for-the-pre…

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14

She sure showed her true racist misandric colours during a violent protest against that Aussie twit, giving the Aussie the publicity she craved.Ashamed that she's still an MP.

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5

British twat , " PP " is a little known shit stirrer from the UK  ... a harmless lady , with some reasonable view points , and some daft ones too ...

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2

mea culpa, didn't  read it too closely in case it was catching, won't be long till the Aussies claim her??

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1

ya think she flew all the way to NZ to just talk about womens rights to use a toilet  ???. Gullible Gummy. 

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2401 , now ! ... if she just said a simple " sorry " , we could all move on ... but no ...

... you do wonder what her hubby thinks ... a very white looking sis guy ...

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6

2402

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1

"...sis guy" ?

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2

Maybe I'm being cynical, but I assumed that people/groups bankrolled political campaigns with the expectation of receiving inside knowledge and/or favorable decisions.

Was Stuart Nash's real crime recording it in emails?

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3

I find Seymour' muted response interesting , perhaps they should look further afeild than just labour MP's on this score. 

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3

What gets me, and this applies to all sides of the house, past and present, that our MPs are entrusted with the very serious responsibility to legislate. As such they  pass laws purposed to remove and/or expose corruption in political party donations, and then with obscene haste,  set about in earnest to circumvent or defeat that very same law. It’s a rotten state of affairs, the whole damn lot of those that involve themselves, suck.

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2

yes and no . In business or any other organisation , everyone knows and expects the real talking and negoiating goes on behind the scenes , often at the bar or restaurantAre we holding politicans to too high a standard ?.Perhaps if we allowed dissenting voices in cabinet to be heard(which seem to be is biggest crime) , we might get better decisions made. 

And really , how can you be minister of the police without having the ear of top police brass? So long as you don't penalise or offer sweetners with your view , what's the problem ? Surely a parties politics on crimes is well publicised , so why can't a politicans be ?

Having said that , I think he did cross the line with the latest rent related one. .   

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0

Hard to imagine in the history of our parliament that any of Mr Nash’s actions would be unique. As well I would wager that his thoughts on the police & court matters would mostly get head nods at pub and table talk all over NZ. The thing is though, things have changed.  For example the proliferation of high speed email etc communication has put more accent on convenience than thought process. If in the old days Mr Nash had had to sit  down and pen, even dictate,  a letter he may well have had a moment’s opportunity to reconsider either that action or its contents or both. These days the vast amount of data being communicated electronically is a real loitering with intent foot trip compared to the old days. Just ask the Royal Family or both the Clintons for example.

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1

https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/03/30/most-stupid-thing-ive-seen-simon-bri…

Bridges pretty much saying it happens all the time , just don't get caught by putting it in a email.

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0

There was very little in the pot when they began 5 and a half years ago. Today we are all witness to the truth of that. And what's even worse is there is still 6 months to go. There'll be no one left in the cabinet by then.

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1

The facade of the charade is definitely cracking and what is being revealed is a rather sorry looking outfit indeed.

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4

the charade of a facade just cracks you up....sorry...

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1

At the rate they're going there'll just be PM Chippy and Minister of Everything all a Once , Megan Woods , left  ... 

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4

The fat controller will still be lurking in the background.

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1

It seems a change of leader several months before an election (such as for Hipkins or English) is not a good idea.  There is too much time for the original honeymoon period of a month or two, to be killed by reality and gaffes.  A change of leader much closer to an election, such as when Ardern took over from Little, is far better, as the hope for a better future doesn't have time to be tainted by the realities of delivering on the promises made.

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3

If Chris calls a snap General Election, Labour will win. Thus he can avoid several by-elections and have a new cabinet to boot.

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 ..  governments who call for snap elections can be punished by an annoyed , belligerent electorate  ... Muldoon here in NZ , Theresa May in the UK ... 

High risk strategy methinks ...

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2

Does anyone with a serious thought in their head consider that Labour, all at odds and a house divided, could form a stable government with the Greens & TPM, with all their  wackiness and extremes flying off the wheel, sitting alongside and actually having ministers in cabinet. Hell each party can’t live with itself, let alone each other. It’s a shambles now, who in their right mind, would want to treble that.

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Does anyone with a serious thought in their head consider that National, all at odds and a house divided, could form a stable government with the ACT & TPM, with all their  wackiness and extremes flying off the wheel, sitting alongside and actually having ministers in cabinet

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3

Which leads then, to Mr Trotter’s summation here some weeks back,  that it will come down to a vote for the least worst. On that basis the National side looks somewhat ahead in that their odds at present look under a reasonable degree of control and they wouldn’t be counting at all on TPM, both parties have made that abundantly clear often enough, one would think.

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3

As much as I am not the biggest fan of Luxon, I think he would be ok as PM. The thought of a boring conservative PM that follows democratic principles is quite appealing. 

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8

Just for a change...

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1

The same strategy as per the previous general election. Vote for us, Labour,  to keep the green wackos at bay?

I think that might just start to creep in if not already started by Hipkins not keeping the Greens informed on ditching lower level emissions projects.

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0

If that did happen to any great degree a lot of it was rural based.,That will definitely not happen again and the same sentiment to keep the Greens out at all costs, would be a surer bet with National. Don’t forget that last time National had self destructed, were in an even more woeful state than Labour at present. But if Hipkins should think to more distinctly distance Labour from the Greens then he should promptly sack Davidson. That would certainly do it, for either side.

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0

And you think National is any better.

Listen to this guy. The country needs massive investment into export industries or we will go broke, not worrying about speeds bumps.

They just won’t let go of running an immigration lead housing ponzi.

He has never worked a day in his life to earn a dollar,straight off to parliament from uni.

watch this video and tell me we are good hands with national. When he talks of productivity and competition does he have any clue what he’s talking about?

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-goldsmith-07b19380_enough-of-labour…

 

 

 

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1

and have a new cabinet to boot.

Nice double entendre.

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6

As an aside; Nash has promoted the mantle - and is often stated - that he is Sir Walter Nash’s great grandson (such as when he initially contested the nomination for the Napier seat in 2008).

Nash was adopted and he was two years old when Sir Walter died; so there is nothing  relevant in a hereditary / genetic implication, nor any benefit in association with Sir Walter. (But, yes, he is legally Sir Walter’s great grandson)
 

(No problem if you want to fact check this)

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6

Fact check - it's great grandson.

The rest is public record from the man himself.

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1

Yes; great grandson. Corrected.

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That's a pretty narrow view. Just because a grandparent or great grandparent dies when a child is young doesn't mean there cannot be some kind of awareness of legacy instilled, as part of family 'folklore' if you like. Although all things being equal it's certainly not usually likely to be as significant as if some kind of relationship had been established.

I never met my great grandfather but I am certainly quite aware of, and respectful of, his notable achievements.

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2

Police Commissioner Coster is now saying that there could have been other not-meant-to-have-happened calls with Nash.

I wonder if he will be gone by dinnertime as well? 

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4

Doesn’t matter he will stagger on until 14/4 to avoid the bi election. Precedent with the ex PM, now just MP for Mt Albert,  who believe has not been in parliament at all this year.

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3

. . busy at Womans Weekly doing an extended photo shoot  , apparently ...

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3

I was referring to Cuddles Coster getting the boot - as he seems to have had 'selective amnesia' with respective to which phone calls took place when. 

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3

He didn't say  that they were phone calls that wern't meant to happen , just that they were other phone calls. Presumably , A minister has to converse with the police commisioner to do their job correctly. 

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0

“Police Commissioner alludes to examples of further attempts by Stuart Nash to influence him.” Headline in Newstalk ZB. If you prefer not to read it, then listen to the man himself.

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1

Marama Davidson says white cis men are responsible for violence, nek minit a white cis man gets kicked out of cabinet.

Coincidence....?

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no connection at all. 

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0

Why don't they bring someone else in to take of the portfolios,? Dividing portfolios to ministers who are already bogged down with portfolios is not a good look IMO. Or is it a sign they don't have anyone capable?

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3

Labour is about to enjoy a Jamie Lee Ross moment in an election year.

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8

If the next poll  shows Labour and the Greens have maintained thier % rating I would see no future in this country and will see a better future in the west Island..... 

After all, if they maintain support after this debacle it will confirm that NZ is full of Crazy Leftie loonies!

 

 

 

 

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7

I’m with you there. Started the job search already. Ideally I would wait a few years but at the rate of decline of this country I might go before getting a job! Labour / Greens and Maori are that bad. 

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4

I'm visiting family in Oz July, planning to open a new bank account there - just in cade

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1

Great idea if they will let you with no proof of address. I think it’s wise to start saving in aus dollars as a labour green govt will tank the dollar

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I already checked with bank, ok to use my family's Oz address however I also understand that they're ok if you're intending to be a regular visitor.

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His hair color in the cartoon needs a big update

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0

Nashi could become the new logo if things continue to go pear shaped.

Sorry - a bit Christmas Cracker.

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It can't be to save money on a byelection, since when did this government care about wasting money?

More like to save embarrassment.

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