Angry Kelvin

Stuff reports:

The Prime Minister has had words with her deputy over him calling a National MP “hysterical” and has told Kelvin Davis he shouldn’t have said it.

In a statement from Jacinda Ardern’s office, a spokeswoman said, “Minister Davis has apologised to Jacqui Dean and to the Prime Minister herself.

“The Prime Minister says he should not have made that comment and he understands that.”

So what did Dean do that had Kelvin label her hysterical?

During one of many fiery exchanges, Davis called Dean “hysterical” for asking whether tourism jobs would be impacted as a result of increasing costs for small businesses.

Seems a rather reasonable question.

National MPs on the Economic Development committee are demanding Davis be recalled after what Todd McClay described as the “worst performance of any Minister in any select committee ever”.

“I think he was vacant, not just complacent,” McClay said after the hearing.

“I think the tourism sector, the public who maybe interested in how all of this money that was promised before the election might be spent, were left without the answers.”

Davis got increasingly frustrated throughout the hour-long meeting and not only had heated exchanges with Dean and McClay but also the committee chair, Jonathan Young.

At one point Young, who was becoming visibly frustrated by some of the responses, raised his voice asking “when do we get to see?” after weeks of being told to wait and see what the Budget delivered

Davis shot back, “I’m sorry, don’t talk to me like that”.0910

I don’t think Davis understands that Ministers are meant to be able to answer questions from select committees.10