AUCKLAND (Sachin Sharma): Iain Lees – Galloway has been sacked as minister in New Zealand cabinet for having a 12 – month “inappropriate” relationship with a staffer in one of the departments he headed.
He was holding the Immigration, Work Place Relations and Safety and ACC portfolios in the cabinet. He wouldn’t contest the September 19 general elections as well.
Newly appointed National Party leader Judith Collins had passed the information to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about the “inappropriate” relationship of Labour party minister. She had claimed she was given information about this and passed the same to PM and it was up to her to deal with it.
Collins had said this while talking about former National MP Anrew Falloon, who resigned as MP and announced not to contest general elections after he was alleged of sending indecent message to a 19 – year old woman.
Ardern called a press conference in this regard Wednesday morning. She told media that she had received information about her minister being involved in a consensual but inappropriate relationship with an employee in one of the departments he headed.
She spoke with Lees-Galloway on Tuesday evening and he conceded about the relationship, resulting in Prime Minister sacking him as a minister.
"This is the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, I expect behaviour to be modelled here that is appropriate," said Jacinda Ardern.
Lees-Galloway would leave Parliament entirely at the election.
Kris Faafoi would take over as Immigration Minister, Carmel Sepuloni as ACC Minister, and Andrew Little as Workplace Relations and Safety Minister.
In a statement, Lees-Galloway said he accepted Ardern's decision "and apologise absolutely".
"I have acted completely inappropriately in my position and cannot continue as a minister," he said, apologising to his family and "to anyone who has been hurt by my actions".