21 Sep 2018

Meka Whaitiri supported in electorate despite Cabinet ousting

From Morning Report, 7:11 am on 21 September 2018

The sacked Minister Meka Whaitiri is getting solid support in her home patch after being stripped of her ministerial portfolios by the Prime Minister. The Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP continues to dispute a claim she pushed one of her staff. But her denials were not enough to save her and after a Ministerial Services inquiry, Jacinda Ardern was uncompromising. While some Maori voters spoken to in Napier said the Prime Minister had no other option, many others were backing their MP. Henare O'Keefe is a Hastings district councillor and prominent Flaxmere community leader. He once stood for the Labour nomination for Ikaroa-Rawhiti against Meka Whaitiri. He says he supports her and her family and there's no need to hang her out to dry.