Row over text on Sroubek

National Party leader Simon Bridges is calling the Prime Minister “dishonest by omission” and demanding she release the text message she received from Richie Hardcore, a supporter of hers and a friend of controversial Czech drug-smuggler Karel Sroubek.

Jacinda Ardern is declining to release the text on the basis of privacy but is prepared to have that tested under the Official Information Act.

On Wednesday Ardern’s office confirmed that Hardcore had sent her an unsolicited text commending Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway’s initial decision to grant residency to Sroubek, who moved in similar kickboxing circles to Hardcore. Lees-Galloway has since reversed that decision and issued Sroubek a new deportation liability notice, which Sroubek is appealing.

National first asked about Hardcore during Question Time on November 7, and Bridges told media yesterday that Ardern should have fronted up about the text a long time ago. “She’s had questions [on Sroubek] for nearly two months. She’s given a completely false impression. She said she knew nothing about any of this. Now we learn there is a text where she did know something . . . by omission it’s been very dishonest.” But he stopped short of calling her a liar.

Asked why she hadn’t revealed the text message previously, Ardern said she was only asked whether she knew anyone who made representations on the Sroubek case. She did not consider the text to be a representation.