Whodunnit to keep us guessing

As is often the case, the ‘‘whodunnit’’ in the revelation of National leader Simon Bridges’ expenses is far more interesting than the actual leak. The finger-pointing yesterday in the wake of Bridges’ Crown limo expenses being leaked to Newshub had reached such a frenzy, the effort of just keeping up was enough to make our heads spin.

Was it an internal party attempt to embarrass Bridges and destabilise his leadership? That seems breathtakingly brazen and kamikaze-like, given the latest public polls have National on 45 per cent under his leadership. But never rule out an ambitious politician making mischief.

Was it Labour? Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern swears nobody in her party had the figures and says that means it couldn’t have come from them.

Was it Parliamentary Service? National has never trusted Parliament’s bureaucrats since one of them was widely fingered as the leak behind former prime minister Bill English’s accommodation expenses.

Was it Speaker Trevor Mallard? That’s as unthinkable as it is implausible.

NZ First? Leader Winston Peters is revelling in the tables being turned after accusing National last year of leaking details of his pension being overpaid. They do say revenge is a dish best served cold.

But Peters would not have had access to the information – unless it was passed along by a National MP.

It seems, in fact, Bridges’ travel expenses were emailed to every National MP as part of the process for sorting out the quarterly travel declarations.

Bridges has now called for a full inquiry, including a forensic examination of parliamentary emails, to prove the leak was an external source, rather than a National MP looking to destabilise his leadership.

That was necessary to show Bridges is utterly confident he has the backing of his caucus.

To recap: Someone leaked the information that Bridges’ travel expenses for the March quarter were $113,973 – which, as the leader of the party accusing the Government of waste, seemed excessive.

These expenses are released quarterly for every MP – covering their taxpayer-funded flights, taxis and, in the case of ministers and the Opposition leader, the VIP transport service. Accommodation costs are also released.

Once you factor in that Bridges’ costs include some invoices carried over from the previous quarter, and the fact Crown limos for the Opposition leader are charged out at a higher rate than for Government ministers, the figure still seems high, though not outlandish.

Bridges spent the money on a nationwide roadshow, getting his mug known as the new National leader. On the basis of his own personal polling – 10 per cent in the preferred PM stakes – you would have to say it wasn’t hugely successful.

So, back to the whodunnit then. Who has the most to gain from destabilising Bridges’ leadership? Labour? That’s a given. And his rivals within caucus of course.

Ordinarily, an act like this would signal the beginning of a white anting campaign.

But these sorts of leaks usually occur when the party’s polling is in a slump. National is hardly that at 45 per cent. The only way is down, especially once destabilised by leadership talk and disunity.

Could that be the end game? To bring the party’s polling down and ultimately force a leadership showdown?

That would suggest not just a battle over the leadership but a battle over the heart and soul and future direction of the National Party.

But that is well and truly the nuclear option because the risks associated with being exposed would absolutely outweigh the temporary benefit of leaking the figures a day or two in advance.

So back to the whodunnit.

Bridges has now called for a full inquiry, including a forensic examination of parliamentary emails, to prove the leak was an external source.