Politics - Breaking News, 7ish August
'He launched a leadership challenge': Luxon sacks Defence Minister
Alex Cairns / Stuff
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has sacked Chris Penk as a minister, alleging he launched the "leadership challenge" that led to today's emergency caucus meeting.
Penk has repeatedly denied he was working to roll Luxon.
Penk was quickly rising up the ranks of Luxon's ministry, but he's now gone. The former navy officer was recently made minister of defence earlier this year, after Judith Collins retired from politics.
“Chris Penk launched a leadership challenge this week, which resulted in today’s confidence vote. This makes his role untenable and as such I have removed his portfolios,” Luxon said, in a statement.
He said Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith would pick up the Defence, Veterans, Space, GCSB, and NZSIS portfolios. Simon Watts would become Minister for Building and Construction.
Luxon's office sent out the statement hours after most MPs and ministers had left Wellington.
On his way out of Wellington earlier this afternoon, Penk said he was "really pleased" that Luxon was still in charge.
Asked if he expected to keep the defence portfolio, Penk said, "It's always the case that ministerial portfolios are at the gift of the prime minister. So, any other day of the week, I would say the same thing I'd say now, which is that those decisions are for the prime minister."
Penk has repeatedly denied he was working to roll Luxon.
Penk was quickly rising up the ranks of Luxon's ministry, but he's now gone. The former navy officer was recently made minister of defence earlier this year, after Judith Collins retired from politics.
“Chris Penk launched a leadership challenge this week, which resulted in today’s confidence vote. This makes his role untenable and as such I have removed his portfolios,” Luxon said, in a statement.
He said Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith would pick up the Defence, Veterans, Space, GCSB, and NZSIS portfolios. Simon Watts would become Minister for Building and Construction.
Luxon's office sent out the statement hours after most MPs and ministers had left Wellington.
On his way out of Wellington earlier this afternoon, Penk said he was "really pleased" that Luxon was still in charge.
Asked if he expected to keep the defence portfolio, Penk said, "It's always the case that ministerial portfolios are at the gift of the prime minister. So, any other day of the week, I would say the same thing I'd say now, which is that those decisions are for the prime minister."
He also denied being Erica Stanford's "numbers man". Multiple news outlets reported he was working to instill Stanford as leader, and Stuff has heard from a credible caucus source that Penk was involved in an attempt to dethrone Luxon.
But Penk told reporters this was not true and he said he had full confidence in Luxon.
"I think everyone else needs to get their stories straight because I'm hearing multiple different versions. None of them are true, and as I said, I'm not prepared to disclose private conversations except only to say, I have confidence in Christopher Luxon," he said.
But Penk told reporters this was not true and he said he had full confidence in Luxon.
"I think everyone else needs to get their stories straight because I'm hearing multiple different versions. None of them are true, and as I said, I'm not prepared to disclose private conversations except only to say, I have confidence in Christopher Luxon," he said.