Venkat Raman
Auckland, July 22, 2020
Iain Lees-Galloway, a young Minister with plenty of promise has gone from the Cabinet.
The 41-year-old Minister for Immigration, Workplace Relations & Safety and ACC was dismissed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this morning after he admitted to an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a member of staff employed in an agency related to his portfolio in the recent past.
Ms Ardern told a press conference about an hour ago that she took the decision to sack Mr Lees-Galloway during a meeting with him last evening.
Untenable position
“I sat down with the Minister and asked him questions and his answers made it clear that his position has become untenable. He told me that the relationship that he had with a staffer in one of the agencies connected with his ministerial duties ended several months ago. I have taken into account all factors and decided that he was not fit to continue as a Minister. He was the Workplace Relations and Safety Minister,” she said.
“It became clear that his position as a Minister was untenable as it opened up allegations of improperly using his office. I have lost confidence in him,” Ms Ardern added.
Ms Ardern said that she had to inform the Governor General of the decision and withdraw his ministerial warrant and hence it took several hours to make her decision effective.
Mr Lees-Galloway has returned to his home in Palmerston North and announced that he would not contest in the general election on September 19, 2020.
In a Statement released today, he said that he accepted the decision of the Prime Minister.
“I have acted completely inappropriately in my position and cannot continue as a Minister. I have apologised to my family for letting them down. Please appreciate their privacy. I also apologise to anyone who has been hurt by my actions,” he said in the Statement.
How the saga started
National Party Leader Judith Collins said that she had received an email from a member of the public informing about a Labour Minister.
“I spoke to the Prime Minister right away after Question Time in Parliament saying that I wanted that email sent directly to her. I did not want to get engaged in this,” she told Morning Report today.
“I do not want to go into details but it was fairly inappropriate behaviour,” she said.
About Iain Lees-Galloway
Born on September 18, 1978, Iain Lees-Galloway in Auckland, Iain Lees-Galloway attended King’s College and moved to Palmerston North to study at the Massey University. He became the President of the Massey University Students Association.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, he worked for the New Zealand Nurses Association and as Publicity Coordinator.
Mr Lees-Galloway contested in the 2008 general election from Palmerston North and entered Parliament as an elected Member.
Ms Ardern announced that Carmel Sepuloni will take over the post of ACC Minister, Andrew Little as Workplace Relations & Safety and Kris Faafoi as Minister of Immigration, all of them in addition to their existing ministerial responsibilities.
