Hipkins says Mahuta was left alone to defend Three Waters for too long
The Prime Minister told The Hui presenter Julian Wilcox other voices from the Government should have been in the conversation about the controversial legislation.
"I think if I reflect critically on that period, we probably left Nanaia Mahuta out on her own defending the Three Waters reform program and the co-governance debate by herself for longer than we should have," Hipkins said.
"I actually think Nanaia bore the brunt of that [debate]. It was very unfair. It became very personalised to her."
Hipkins said it was one of the reasons he took the Local Government portfolio off Mahuta in his first Cabinet reshuffle.
"I wasn't willing to allow that to continue... I think she deserved better than that."
Link to video and article: 'Nanaia bore the brunt': Hipkins says Mahuta was left alone to defend Three Waters for too long (msn.com)
