Ginny Andersen will be the new minister of police, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says.
Andersen was only sworn in as a Cabinet Minister last month, but Hipkins says she is a safe pair of hands.
A spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s Office clarified that Andersen had been non-sworn staff, and worked her way up from being a senior advisor to policy manager at Police National Headquarters.
The police portfolio was vacated by Stuart Nash last week, after he spoke on the radio about speaking to the Police Commissioner about appealing a case he disagreed with the judge on.
The National Party’s police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says it sent a signal that Labour had “clearly given up on law and order”.
But despite her short history as a Cabinet minister, Hipkins says he had confidence in her to take on the responsibilities of the police portfolio, which has changed hands several times in recent years.
Hipkins says Barbara Edmonds would pick up Andersen’s Associate Immigration portfolio.
Andersen is the fourth police minister since Labour took office in 2017, but it’s the fifth time the role has changed hands.
Credit: sunlive.co.nz
