Prime Minister Chris Hipkins admits the Government mucking up a major crime policy announcement is his responsibility.
The Government on Monday announced several changes to crack down on youth and gang crime, with the measures including a new offence for anyone posting crimes on social media.
Hipkins said on Monday adults rewarding or encouraging children to commit crimes would also be given harsher penalties.
But the Government was later forced to clarify that would only be a new aggravating factor in sentencing, rather than an offence.
Speaking to AM on Tuesday, Hipkins admitted he's responsible for the botch-up, but said he's only human.
"Unfortunately, in the preparation for the communications materials for yesterday… things got conflated - I didn't pick that up. I completely accept that so I'll take responsibility for that."
He said the underlying message of the crime announcement was such criminals should face tougher consequences.
However, AM co-host and Newshub political reporter Lloyd Burr grilled Hipkins about whether New Zealanders could trust him when his Government was making such botch-ups.
"One of the things that I've always said, in the entire time that I have been in politics - particularly in the time that I've been Prime Minister - is that I never claim to be perfect," Hipkins said. "Clearly, we made a mistake here - I've always said I'll own a mistake that I've made and that's exactly what I'm doing."
Hipkins said it was "immaterial" who made the botch-up because "ultimately, I'm responsible".
Nobody working in his team, including himself, was perfect, he said.
"People make mistakes, that's the nature of human beings," Hipkins said. "Ultimately, I believe you own up to them when that happens. In this case, though, the underlying message is still the same - that we want to do more to deal with the youth offending that we're seeing."
Hipkins stressed the Government wanted to turn around the lives of youth offenders.
He acknowledged youth crime was "an area of public concern".
"I get that, for small business owners - if you're a dairy owner who lives in your dairy - this is a major issue for you and it's not OK, and I totally agree with that. There is more the Government can do and we will do that."
Nonetheless, Hipkins was "frustrated with myself" for the mistake, he said.
