Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has been told it's "ridiculous" for her to insist that all of the Labour Party Cabinet ministers have performed well over the past three years.
Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking questioned the performance of Ardern's team during an interview on Monday morning, singling out Phil Twyford and Kelvin Davis who have often been criticised by the Opposition.
"Explain to most of us Phil Twyford on the subject of housing, and for that matter Kelvin Davis. Explain in those two what you see that most of us don't?" Hosking asked Ardern.
Twyford is Transport Minister and is also in charge of economic and urban development. He lost the housing portfolio in June 2019 after Labour's KiwiBuild programme failed to meet its targets.
Twyford was described by Stuff's senior political reporter Henry Cooke in an opinion piece as the "minister of embarrasing failures".
Davis is Labour's deputy leader and is Minister of Corrections, Tourism and Māori Crown Relations. He has been targeted by the Opposition for not doing enough to help the tourism industry get through COVID-19.
Ardern said both Twyford and Davis have been "solid contributors" to her Cabinet.
She highlighted work Twyford has done as Transport Minister on upgrading the Puhinui rail and bus interchange to enable rapid bus transit to the airport in Auckland.
Ardern also praised Davis' work as Corrections Minister in helping to reduce the prison population. It peaked at 10,800 in March 2018 and dropped to around 10,000 in October 2019. Last week it fell below 9000 for the first time since August 2015.
"The work he's done on Corrections, we have safely seen a decrease in our Corrections population which was one of our goals, and the work he's done on Māori Crown relations is taking us into a new era," Ardern said.
"So yes, I'll defend my team. My team's been consistent as well - I haven't lost 19 members," she added, taking a crack at the National Party.
Hosking pointed to the loss of Labour Cabinet members over the last three years, including Clare Curran who failed to record a meeting, Meka Whaitiri who was accused of mistreating a staffer, Iain Lees-Galloway who had an affair, and David Clark who broke lockdown rules as Health Minister.
"It's all been Labour," Hosking said.
"Well, I would argue that you won't see a Government that doesn't from time to time have issues they need to deal with and it's the way you deal with them that matters," Ardern said.
"Equally, I am responsible for my Labour members. When there have been disciplinary issues outside of the Cabinet Manual, ultimately that's for New Zealand First. So I've dealt with mine and it's up to New Zealand First to deal with theirs."
None of NZ First's ministers - Winston Peters, Shane Jones, Ron Mark and Tracey Martin - have lost portfolios. But Ardern has given Jones a telling off on several occasions, including last year when she told him to re-read the Cabinet Manual.
Labour ministers such as Chris Hipkins and Megan Woods have ended up taking on multiple large portfolios to fill the gap where their Labour colleagues have lost them.
Dr Woods is now in charge of housing, science and research, energy and resources, and greater Christchurch regeneration. Hipkins holds three massive portfolios: health, education and state services.
Ardern could not say if Hipkins will continue to hold all of them after the election, if Labour forms the next Government.
"I haven't made those decisions.It's not out of the question but I haven't made those decisions. I accept they are two very significant portfolios," she said.
"I stand by the decision I made for that intervening period because he had experience with big operational ministries, also for his work being the Minister for State Services has made a difference as well. But, I want to look at that with a fresh set of eyes."
Hosking said Labour has a "lack of talent", which Ardern quickly disagreed with.
He asked Ardern who Labour's best Cabinet ministers are, and she said: "I think everyone who sits around my Cabinet table, Mike."
Hosking shot back, "That's ridiculous."
Ardern said during COVID-19 New Zealanders have had the chance to get to know some of her ministers better, such as Dr Woods, Hipkins and Finance Minister Grant Robertson - the ministers who have mostly fronted the response.
"But you've named the ones I would've named - that's the talent," Hosking said.
Ardern then highlighted Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, who has been working towards eradication of Mycoplasma bovis in New Zealand farms.
She also praised Nanaia Mahuta for her work on improving water infrastructure, Andrew Little for his work as Justice Minister, and Kris Faafoi for his work on investigating pricing and regulations as Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister.
Ardern did not mention Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni, Police Minister Stuart Nash, Environment Minister David Parker or Customs Minister Jenny Salesa.
