Chris Hipkins faces questions over Labour candidate's video with gang members

Chris Hipkins has faced questions after a video emerged showing Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni with gang members. ACT has accused him of lecturing other parties about judgement while Labour candidates campaign with gang members.

Leoni is Labour's candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau, the Auckland electorate. In the video, reported by RNZ and Newstalk ZB, she is seen speaking to Mongrel Mob members about enrolling to vote and changing the government.

Oriini Kaipara has said Leoni also visited a Mongrel Mob pad, the gang's clubhouse. Labour has denied that claim.

Hipkins said he accepted Leoni's assurance that she had not visited a gang pad while campaigning. He said this in response to questions about the video.

ACT's criticism of Hipkins, made in a statement published on Scoop, centres on the judgement he has called on other parties to show. ACT said Labour candidates were campaigning with gang members at the same time.

Commentators on an NZ Herald election podcast said the Mongrel Mob pad scandal could be a bigger problem for Labour than it is for the Green Party.