The leakers: Who are Walker and Boag?

In his 21⁄ years as an MP, National’s 2 Hamish Walker has made headlines for the right and the wrong reasons.

From talking a distressed man off the edge of a dam — likely saving his life — to being slammed for “racist” press releases, he’s been more prominent than the average backbencher.

But after admitting last evening to leaking confidential information about Covid-19 patients to media, Walker is now under huge pressure.

He was sworn in as an MP in 2017 after winning the Clutha-Southland electorate by a 14,000-vote margin.

That electorate, NZ’s largest geographically, had already seen controversy — former Nats MP Todd Barclay had to resign after claims he secretly recorded his staff in mid-2017.

Barclay left just before that election and Walker got the nod to stand.

Walker has family all across the electorate, but was born in Dunedin.

He left school at a young age and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 14. Between then and being sworn in as an MP, Walker had a number of jobs including a fisherman, a miner, jailer and a rugby referee.

He was thrust into the limelight in early 2019, after it was revealed he talked a distressed man off a dam.

The deed earned him a spot as a finalist on the Our Heroes list.

He also earned praise in backing the Lumsden maternity centre.

But it hasn’t been all rosy headlines. Last week he sent out a press release claiming up to 11,000 people from “India, Pakistan and Korea” could head to Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown for quarantine.

That was slammed by the Government as “racist”. Walker’s leader, Todd Muller, expressed disappointment.

In his maiden speech, Walker warned that he would “probably make mistakes in this House . . . [but] my philosophy is honest and true, and my compassion is infinite.”

He paid tribute to many but one sticks out — “Michelle Boag, your wise words are really appreciated.”

Moments after he admitted to the leak yesterday, a Boag press release said she gave him the information.

Boag is a well-known National player. She was the party president from 2001 until 2002, the year it had its worst election result of all time.

Since then, she has been a prominent right wing-commentator and been on a number of boards.

She was the acting chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and through that position the Covid-19 patient information was made available to her. Boag last evening resigned from that position.