Watch: Parliament debates Chris Penk sacking after coup attempt

Parliament is debating Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s decision to sack his Defence Minister Chris Penk.

Penk was sacked last Wednesday after an attempt to roll Luxon.

The debate was called by Labour leader Chris Hipkins.

Earlier:

Erica Stanford admits her staff shouldn’t have been “milling around” ahead of Christopher Luxon’s media stand-up announcing he had survived his second caucus confidence vote to remain National leader.

Stanford’s staff were seen in Parliament’s Banquet Hall ahead of the press conference amid speculation Stanford had been preparing to challenge Luxon’s leadership, which both Stanford and Luxon deny.

It comes as New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wades in, laughing at the suggestion now-sacked minister Chris Penk was behind a “one-man coup” as has been asserted by Luxon.

MPs across the House are set to debate Penk’s dismissal as a minister after Question Time today.

Stanford, a senior National MP and prominent minister in charge of education and immigration, surfaced on Sunday to address speculation she had been involved in a leadership challenge alongside Penk, having not spoken to reporters since Wednesday’s emergency caucus meeting where the confidence vote was conducted.

Despite many MPs stating their support for Luxon as leader as they arrived in Wellington last Tuesday, Stanford chose not to respond to questions at both the Auckland and Wellington airports on whether she supported Luxon.

• Stanford denies role in Penk's leadership challenge, backs Luxon '100%'
• Labour candidate ‘optimistic’ of Penk's seat after resignation
• PM confident Stanford and Bishop weren't involved in leadership challenge

On Sunday, she said she backed Luxon “100%” and claimed she had said so “a million times”. Stanford said she didn’t address questions at Wellington Airport because she was stressed by what she described as a “frenzied media mob” there.

Reporters witnessed members of Stanford’s staff among those waiting in Parliament’s Banquet Hall, which hosted Luxon’s press conference announcing the result of the confidence vote.

National leader Christopher Luxon announcing the result of the party's caucus vote. Stanford is standing behind Luxon. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Stanford said today she had discovered yesterday that some of her “departmental staff” had had a “nosey-in” while on a lunch break. Stanford stressed they worked as part of her education and immigration teams and were not political staff.

“They should not have done that, that was unfortunate.

“I’ve had a conversation with them about that … I just told them that it was likely that reporters were going to ask me or the Prime Minister why my departmental staff were milling around."

Stanford, the MP for Auckland’s East Coast Bays electorate, strongly denied any of her supporters had travelled to Wellington ahead of the caucus meeting and said any report claiming that would be “completely false”.

Stanford also dismissed questions about whether she had discussed a leadership challenge with finance spokeswoman and deputy leader Nicola Willis, who also condemned the suggestion as “fantasy stuff”.

Luxon has insisted he is confident neither Stanford, nor Chris Bishop who was also the subject of speculation, were involved in Penk launching a leadership challenge.

Speaking to Herald Now this morning, NZ First leader Winston Peters doubted Penk was the only one involved.

“I’ve been in politics for a long time but for the first time I saw a one-man coup … if you can believe that,” Peters said, laughing.

‘I wouldn’t catastrophise that’: PM unfazed new Defence Minister is missing meeting

Following Penk’s sacking last week, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith took on some of his ministerial portfolios, including defence.

In a statement, Goldsmith confirmed he would not be able to attend an upcoming meeting with counterparts from Australia and Japan.

“As I’ve just taken over the Defence portfolio, I was unable to change my schedule and attend the meeting at such short notice.”

Peters this morning said he was not satisfied.

“These are critical issues and picking the right person with some experience in this area in the acquisition and procurement of defence assets might have been an important choice so, was I happy with what I saw, no I wasn’t.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wasn't fazed by Paul Goldsmith missing the defence meeting. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Luxon today said he was not concerned by Goldsmith’s absence, acknowledging it was “just too short for him to be able to get there”.

“I wouldn’t catastrophise that.”

Luxon reiterated his Government’s commitment to defence and its support of the industry.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.