Focus: Jacinda Ardern confronted by gun owners at school opening. Video
Jacinda Ardern has been confronted with a group of gun-owning protestors at an Auckland school opening.
About 40 gun owners picketed outside Grey Lynn Primary School. The protest had been advertised on the New Zealand Firearms Protest website and cited the gun buyback database breach as unacceptable.
Protesters were outside a Grey Lynn school when the Prime Minister attended. Photo / Will Trafford
VictoriaO'Brien, spokeswoman for the group, told the Herald "we're here because of the incredibly large data breach which has happened to anyone who has followed the government instructions".
"Our private data has been breached. This leads us open to identity theft and criminal invasion. We would like the PM to take responsibility. She and [Police Minister Stuart] Nash have refused to apologise. We demand an apology and we want Nash to resign. She is opening a school, our kids are at risk too because of their failures."
One highly-agitated driver slowed down in front of the protest and screamed: "Why outside a school you maniacs?".
Police Minister Stuart Nash responded to the gun protest saying: "It's completely inappropriate for this shadowy new gun group to target primary school children as part of their campaign.
"It's also unclear who's behind this stunt which seems to be deliberately spreading misinformation and using the type of scare tactics favoured by the American-style gun lobby.
"Almost the entire New Zealand Parliament came together to make the changes. All perspectives have been heard as part of the public submission process.
"Successive governments have known our gun laws have been broken for decades. It's up to this Parliament to take steps to make the community safer and ensure our firearms laws are fit for purpose."
Ardern was welcomed onto the site with a powhiri by students.
She is not expected to address media over the Kris Faafoi immigration saga.
MediaWorks last night revealed the Broadcasting Minister promised Kerrison, a long-time friend, to help with an immigration case.
Messages between the pair, obtained by Newshub, contained an offer by Faafoi to "speed up" the process of getting Kerrison's mother's partner a visa.
Ardern at the opening of Grey Lynn Primary School. Photo / Will Trafford
"Hey bro," Faafoi said to Kerrison via Facebook messenger.
"I will make a call on Monday. I know it is genuine as I know you travelled for the wedding a few years back. I will talk to the people that can speed things up."
Immigration NZ had refused Mich Obadiah – June Kerrison's partner – a partner's visa. Officials questioned the legitimacy of the relationship.
Immigration NZ has been approached for comment, as has Faafoi and Kerrison.
Faafoi told Newshub: "I understand his personal situation to be genuine and I think he did have a case, which is why I offered to speak to his local MP."
In further messages, Faafoi asked Kerrison to provide the surname and Immigration NZ file number, which he did.
The Cabinet Manual – the ministerial rule book – lays out the rules of conflicts of interest. "A conflict may arise if people close to a minister, such as .. whānau, or close associates, might derive, or be perceived as deriving .. personal, financial, or another benefit from a decision or action by the minister or the Government."
Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi. Photo / Mark Mitchell
National Leader Simon Bridges told Newstalk ZB the Government has one set of rules for celebrities and another for everyone else.
He said if the claims are correct, Ardern needs to show Faafoi the door.
National revealed its Northland MP, Matt King, was contacted by Kerrison in regards to the visa issue.
In a brief statement, a spokesperson for National Leader Simon Bridges confirmed Minister Kris Faafoi had contacted King in mid-October about the matter.
"He [Faafoi] said that Jason Kerrison's mother needed help on an immigration matter, he asked if Matt could assist.
"Matt King told Mr Faafoi that Jason Kerrison should contact his office."
But the spokesperson confirmed that King's office was never contacted.
King is the Northland MP – the electorate where Kerrison's mother lives.
