7 Sep 2018

PM: Clare Curran under 'huge' pressure

1:09 pm on 7 September 2018

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has accepted Clare Curran's resignation as Broadcasting Minister.

Watch: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Ms Curran said this afternoon the pressure put on her had "become intolerable" and was unlikely to go away.

"For the benefit of the government, and my personal wellbeing, I believe that resignation is the best course of action."

Ms Curran had already been demoted from Cabinet and stripped of two of her portfolios last month after she failed to properly declare a meeting for the second time.

Earlier this week, she also struggled to answer questions in Parliament regarding the use of her personal Gmail account for government business.

Ms Ardern said it was Ms Curran's decision alone to resign.

"There's no doubt there was a huge amount of pressure on her ... she's decided her position was untenable," Ms Ardern told media in Gisborne this afternoon.

The minister wasn't meeting expectations in the house this week and had been been putting a great deal of pressure on herself.

"It's an error of judgement from a politician. She has acknowledged that and she has resigned.

"There is no doubt the minister made a mistake."

Ms Ardern said the pressure Ms Curran was under was stopping her from doing her job.

She was disappointed it had come to this and Ms Curran had "something to offer" as a minister. Ms Curran would continue to be a "very proud and staunch" member of Parliament, she said.