Whoops he did it again
Stuff reports:
Attorney General David Parker stepped in to reprimand former police minister Stuart Nash, years ago, after he made public comments about an ongoing police investigation.
In 2020, Nash went on Newstalk ZB and commented about the investigation into the murder of police constable Matthew Hunt.
Nash was the police minister at the time, but he lost that role in November 2020 – after he was warned about his commentary. He lost his job as police minister again on Wednesday, for making more comments about a trial on air.
Asked on Wednesday if he knew of any similar incidents from Nash, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he received “assurances” from Nash it was a one-off.
Far from a one off.
The latest revelation comes amid growing pressure from the Opposition for Nash to lose all of his other ministerial portfolios: economic development, fisheries and forestry. Both Nash and Hipkins say he will remain a minister, just not of police.
Both ACT and National called for Nash to be sacked as a minister, saying he’d broken rules everyone in Cabinet should be following.
The rules apply to all portfolios.
The Solicitor General, Una Jagose, wrote to Parker, saying Crown Law had considered prosecuting Nash for contempt of court. But after Parker “reprimanded” Nash for his comments, the Solicitor-General opted not to pursue legal action against the then police minister.
The fact the SG considered prosecution shows how seriously it was taken.
ACT leader David Seymour said Nash appeared “unrepentant for his breach” from 2020, as he made a similar error this week.
“The prime minister cannot have confidence in him after this. He needs to go from all of his portfolios,” Seymour said.
National Party acting leader Nicola Willis pushed Hipkins to sack Nash from Cabinet.
“This revelation proves that yesterday’s outburst was not a one-off. Mr Nash has form: he has shown a pattern of bad judgement and a dismissive attitude to Cabinet rules,” she said.
Again Maurice Williamson was sacked for far less.