HOW MP’S CAREER CRASH-LANDED

Over the past two days, a story about a leak of patient information has exploded into crisis for the National Party. Now the MP at the centre of the story has announced he will stand down at the September election, and the woman who passed him the information has quit her party role.

But the story of the leak began last Thursday. Here’s how it got to the controversy yesterday.

THURSDAY – LEAK OCCURS AS DEFENCE

On Thursday afternoon, CluthaSouthland MP Hamish Walker came under pressure over a press release sent to southern media outlets responding to the news that the Government was looking to use hotels in the area for the managed isolation and quarantining of returning Kiwis.

Walker said ‘‘up to 11,000’’ people were ‘‘possibly heading for Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown from India, Pakistan and Korea’’.

Housing Minister Megan Woods, who is in charge of managed isolation, said this statement was outrageous and racist. Currently only New Zealand citizens or permanent residents are allowed in.

Walker issued a public response defending the comments, saying he had information from a ‘‘source’’ that proved his claim.

But soon after his public statement on Thursday night, Walker also sent a spreadsheet containing the names and quarantining locations of the 18 active Covid-19 patients at the time to Stuff, on condition that the information not be attributed to him, as proof of the country of origin of those coming to New Zealand. This information was also sent to other media outlets. Stuff did not make use of the information.

SATURDAY – LEAK REVEALED

On Saturday morning, the Weekend Herald revealed the existence of the leak itself, not naming the source of the information.

’’The massive breach of privacy contains the details of 18 confirmed cases, ranging from a 30-year-old woman in Auckland to a 70-year-old man in Canterbury,’’ the story read.

The Government and Opposition immediately responded. New Health Minister Chris Hipkins said it was unacceptable and ‘‘potentially criminal’’ and, in his role as state services minister, said he would be commissioning an inquiry into the leak.

National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse issued a press release that said the leak ‘‘just goes to prove that this Government is not fit to manage the Covid-19 recovery’’ and said it was ‘‘unconscionable and unacceptable that those suffering from the incredibly dangerous virus now have to suffer further with their private details being leaked’’.

National’s leader, Todd Muller, said on RNZ: ‘‘Is it a deliberate leak or is it accidental? It doesn’t really matter at a level . . . it’s loose, it’s shabby and it’s a reminder these guys can’t manage important things well.’’

MONDAY – INQUIRY LAUNCHED, MULLER TOLD

On Monday, Hipkins announced the state services commissioner had appointed Michael Heron, QC, to lead the inquiry, which would have power under the Inquiries Act to compel the release of documents, issue summons for witnesses, and question parties under oath.

This was a big hammer.

Muller revealed in media interviews on Wednesday morning that Walker told him of his involvement with the leak on Monday, but said he didn’t issue an immediate statement as Walker involved his lawyers, and Muller was seeking his own legal advice.

It’s understood the legal letter sent to Muller argued that Walker had not committed a crime and that revealing his involvement in the leak would constitute a breach of his privacy. Muller sought his own legal advice on this matter and came to a different conclusion.

TUESDAY – ALL IS REVEALED

On Tuesday evening, Walker issued a statement admitting to passing on the information to media and apologising for doing so.

He said he passed it on to reveal flaws in Government data security.

This was followed by a statement from Muller as leader saying he had stripped Walker of his portfolios for this ‘‘error of judgment’’ – but holding back from any further criticism. Muller said he would not be commenting further during the inquiry.

Just minutes after that, former National Party president Michelle Boag, who remained closely involved in the party, admitted passing the information to Walker in the first place.

Boag said she had got the information in her role as the acting chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, although she said it had been sent to her personal email. She resigned from that role, apologised, and said she would cooperate with the inquiry.

She declined to comment on why she had sent the information to Walker, when asked by Stuff.

Later that evening, Hipkins gave a press conference at which he said the matter had the ‘‘ring of dirty politics around it’’ and that the inquiry would go ahead to establish the full chain of events.

The Government has said the helicopter trust is a trusted partner that needed to know the identity of Covid-19 patients in case it had to transport them.

WEDNESDAY – WALKER RESIGNS

On his round of morning media interviews yesterday, Muller significantly stepped up his criticism of Walker, despite his statement the night before that he would not comment further.

He told TVNZ he was ‘‘outraged’’ over the ‘‘fundamentally appalling error’’, and there would be consequences for Walker.

Muller said he was writing to the National Party board, asking it to strip Walker of his candidacy in his seat at the coming general election.

But before the board had a chance to meet, Walker announced that he would resign.

But as he is stepping down at the election instead of immediately, he will be eligible for a further three months of pay from September, as are all MPs who lose their jobs at elections.

The National Party will select a new candidate for the seat, who is highly likely to win the deep-blue electorate.

Boag herself has also stepped down from two roles she had within deputy leader Nikki Kaye’s electorate and campaign committees.