Friday, 19 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
New Zealand|Politics

Audrey Young: Kris Faafoi is in trouble but just how much?

5 Dec, 2019 08:01 AM4 minutes to read
Kris Faafoi is a popular and busy minister. Photo / Andrew Warner

Kris Faafoi is a popular and busy minister. Photo / Andrew Warner

NZ Herald

COMMENT:

High-flying Cabinet minister Kris Faafoi is in trouble.

Jacinda Ardern will be demanding answers about a Newshub story which appears to show Faafoi intervening in an immigration case on behalf of a friend, Opshop singer Jason Kerrison.

The personal Facebook and text communication between the pair – apparently given by Kerrison to the news outlet - reveals a willingness by Faafoi to contact people in Immigration New Zealand who "can speed things up".

Kerrison's mother was having difficulty getting a partnership visa for her husband in Kenya.

READ MORE:
• 'Bro I have a plan': Kris Faafoi offered to help in friend's immigration case
• Kris Faafoi wants to set public broadcasting policy to last for up to 25 years
• Kris Faafoi hears from homeless at Open Arms in Whangārei
• Premium - Kris Faafoi gets serious about politics, housing and helping the little people

In another text it appears as though Faafoi is helping out but knows he shouldn't be seen to be helping.

"Bro, it's moving. I can't put anything in writing," Faafoi says.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Using one's ministerial position to help a friend is not only a breach of the Cabinet manual, it is sackable offence and has claimed the job of a minister before.

Nick Smith was forced to resign from the Cabinet in 2012 when it emerged that as ACC minister in the previous term, he had intervened on an ACC case for a friend.

Related articles

New Zealand|Politics

Audrey Young: Why election 2020 is going to be ugly

06 Dec 04:00 PM
New Zealand|Politics

Audrey Young: Peters takes the driver's seat with media nod

13 Dec 04:00 PM

Prime Minister John Key said at the time: "The resignation follows questions about Dr Smith's judgment in supporting an ACC claimant while he was minister during the previous term.

"It is important that ministers are seen to actively manage both real and perceived conflicts of interest in the exercise of their duties."

Smith's demise and subsequent vacancies led to the early elevation of Simon Bridges to a ministerial post outside Cabinet.

Bridges put out a measured statement tonight, not demanding Faafoi's resignation but saying Ardern has serious questions to ask of Faafoi.

And he is right about one thing when he said that Faafoi had let Ardern down.

He has been an excellent minister and was promoted in the July reshuffle from minister outside Cabinet to inside Cabinet.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

He has a big workload and some important work on his plate, not least the restructure of public broadcasting in New Zealand which Cabinet is likely to look at next week.

Ironically the one thing that would save Faafoi is a lie.

If Faafoi wasn't actually helping his mate's mother, but was only telling his mate he was helping, then he might get to keep his portfolios.

Those are the questions that Ardern will need answers to – and the answers cannot just come from Faafoi himself but from the Immigration Service.

The apparent willingness of Faafoi to help his friend came shortly after he was promoted out of the Associate Immigration Minister role so he would still have known who to contact to "speed things up."

To his credit, Faafoi referred the case to the relevant local MP, Northland's Matt King. But Ardern needs to be satisfied that Faafoi did not put pressure on his former officials in the Immigration Service to help out a mate.

Another casualty of the John Key ministry was Maurice Williamson, who was forced to resign as a minister, when the Herald's Jared Savage revealed that he had made inquiries of the police on behalf of a friend who was being investigated.

It was described by Key as a significant error of judgement - probably because it involved the police.

Neither the Smith case nor the Williamson case have exact parallels with Faafoi's. Each major error of judgment by a minister must be judged on its own and a proportionate response given.

If he gets to keep his job, he will at least have provided a salutary lesson to every minister to keep a better watch of their obligations as ministers and to the Government's reputation.

*An earlier version of this comment incorrectly said that Faafoi was Associate Immigration Minister when had undertaken his communication with Kerrison. He left that job in July.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Watch live: Not over yet - Civil Defence warns of more heavy rainfall in Tasman area

19 Aug 01:45 AM
Premium
BusinessUpdated

Adrian Orr accepts mortgage rates could fall next year

19 Aug 01:45 AM
New Zealand|CrimeUpdated

Driver admits causing crash that killed motorcyclist

19 Aug 01:45 AM
New Zealand

Flooding on State Highway 10 north of Kāeo

TalanoaUpdated

Netflix doco revisits Manti Te'o catfish hoax a decade later

19 Aug 01:30 AM

Most Popular

Watch live: Civil Defence update after 400+ Nelson homes evacuated, second night of wild weather
New ZealandUpdated

Watch live: Civil Defence update after 400+ Nelson homes evacuated, second night of wild weather

19 Aug 01:45 AM
Premium
Cecilia Robinson rejoins My Food Bag board amid 'deeply disappointing' share price
BusinessUpdated

Cecilia Robinson rejoins My Food Bag board amid 'deeply disappointing' share price

19 Aug 12:04 AM
Mid-air horror: Panic on Air NZ flight from LA as masks drop, emergency declared
New Zealand

Mid-air horror: Panic on Air NZ flight from LA as masks drop, emergency declared

18 Aug 10:55 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP