Cabinet gets a reshuffle, the aftermath of the latest wild weather and why your next flight ticket could be more expensive than you expect in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
Ex-Police Minister Poto Williams was stripped of her portfolio because she was "caught in the headlights too often" amid a spate of ram raids and a violent gang war, a former detective and MP says.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday admitted her former police minister had lost "focus" in the portfolio amid rising gang tensions as she announced several major changes yesterday to Cabinet positions.
But National, which has been increasingly putting pressure on Williams and even last week called for her to be dropped, says appointing Chris Hipkins to the role will "not be enough on its own".
Yesterday's Cabinet reshuffle came as Immigration, Broadcasting and Justice Minister Kris Faafoi announced he was resigning, alongside Speaker Trevor Mallard, who will be taking on a diplomatic role in Europe.
Former police detective and ex-National MP Chester Borrows told Newstalk ZB this morning that Williams was demoted because she was branded as "soft on crime" by the Opposition and was "caught in the headlights too often".
"It was too late to try to rebrand herself as anything else," Borrows said, particularly with the campaign that the Opposition would run in the lead-up to next year's election.
Ex-Police Minister Poto Williams. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The way Williams responded to issues like ram raids and Auckland's gang shootings didn't inspire confidence, Borrows said.
"You've got an Opposition which is going to run a hard tough on crime campaign into the election and Poto couldn't do that and [the Government] needed to have someone who can," Borrows said.
Although incoming Hipkins was a "lot faster on his feet" than Williams, Borrows said his other big portfolios would mean there was less time for him to focus on law and order.
Borrows, an MP from 2005 to 2017, said Hipkins needed to look like he understands the issues and has answers to questions, showing on the one hand he can defend police while also holding it accountable to the public.
Hipkins would need to sell himself to the force, who were slow to trust newcomers to the role.
In announcing the new Police Minister yesterday, Ardern also said the "context" in policing had changed significantly in the past 18 months since Williams, with a background in fighting family and sexual violence, was given the portfolio after the 2020 election.
"There was some controversy around some of the proposals around [the Armed Offenders Squad] and some concerns around the culture change programme," Ardern said.
"Minister Williams at that time in my mind was the right fit. The focus has changed and with it we've changed the ministerial lineup."
Ardern said she and Williams, who stays in Cabinet as Conservation and Disabilities Minister, "both agreed" the focus on what was needed for police now had been lost.
"It's critical that our focus and time is on supporting the police and implementing our record investment in the front line, passing our further gun law reforms and developing additional measures to deal with the current escalation in gang tensions and violence.
His party on Saturday unveiled a policy package to tackle rising gang membership and violence, including banning wearing patches and assembly in public spaces.
Ardern criticised the ideas as "reactionary" and sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert told Newstalk ZB he didn't think the policies had any evidential basis and rather what was needed was "good hard policing".
The changes to Cabinet were largely sparked by departures announced yesterday in Faafoi and Mallard.
Faafoi had wanted to resign at the last election but Ardern had convinced him to stay on, taking on portfolios undergoing major reform in broadcasting and immigration.
He has faced intense scrutiny in the immigration sector including around split migrant families and pathways to residency, while also delivering major reforms.
Departing Minister Kris Faafoi. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He told media his decision had nothing to do with those pressures nor any love lost for politics, but instead to be there as his youngest son starts school in just over a week.
"It is a bittersweet day. I could stay for a long time but I wouldn't get to know my kids as much as I should."
Kiritapu Allan would take over as Justice Minister, Michael Wood Immigration and Willie Jackson Broadcasting.
Ardern said Mallard had also previously indicated his desire to step down this term. He would take up a to-be-announced posting in Europe.
Mallard had been an MP over 30 years, and run into many a controversy in that time, including as Speaker. Last year he falsely accused a former parliamentary worker of rape, costing the taxpayer $330,000 in legal fees, and more recently faced criticism over his handling of the protests outside Parliament.
Ardern said his role as Speaker was a "difficult one" but she also pointed to positive achievements including making Parliament more family-friendly.
