Jacinda Ardern today said politics should be a place that attracts "good people", and an environment voters can have confidence in.
It comes as tensions rise in the National Party, after developments continue between rogue MP Jami-Lee Ross and leader Simon Bridges .
Ms Ardern was asked if politics had reached a low this week.
"This is an issue that I've had a concern for across my entire career in politics.
"We want politics to be a place that good people want to come and serve, and where people who vote have confidence in the system that serves them.
"We all have a responsibility to change the nature of politics in New Zealand.
She said when she spoke about "kindness" in politics, "I don't just mean in the way that we deliver our policies and our services, I mean the way we do business and the nature of our political environment".
"I do think things need to be different."
Ms Ardern said each person needed to take responsibility for their own parties and leadership.
Labour has not been a party without recent scandal, after MPs Clare Curran and Meka Whitiri were both removed from Ministerial positions just last month.
The National Party leader says the axing of Meka Whaitiri is more slow, weak leadership leading to weak government.
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