The new framework will distinguish between photographs taken at public events, photographs taken while campaigning, and photographs taken by politicians who have not yet had an opportunity to explain why theirs are different.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has clarified that politicians photographed with gang members are either demonstrating a catastrophic failure of judgement or being respectful at a public event, depending on which party they belong to.
The distinction emerged after Luxon defended National MP Tama Potaka, whose photograph with patched Mongrel Mob members surfaced days after National had criticised opposition politicians for similar associations.
Luxon said it would be “disingenuous” to compare the images, explaining that Potaka was not campaigning or fundraising.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell helpfully confirmed that Potaka had probably been trying not to create a scene.
The Government is now considering legislation requiring all photographs of National MPs with gang members to be accompanied by an explanatory paragraph, while opposition photographs will continue to speak for themselves.
Luxon said there was a clear difference between the two situations, although he had not yet spoken to Potaka about his photograph.
Opposition leaders have welcomed the clarification and are understood to be arranging photographs with National MPs so they can establish whether the rules work both ways.
The Prime Minister has rejected suggestions of a double standard, saying the Government applies exactly the same principles to everyone.
“The difference is that when our people do it, there’s a perfectly good explanation.”