Collins puts aside talk of leader spill
National Party leader Judith Collins has dismissed suggestions her position is under threat and says her MPs are “very comfortable” with the latest caucus reshuffle.
The reshuffle included stripping prominent MP Chris Bishop of the Shadow Leader of the House position and replacing him with Michael Woodhouse.
Collins said it was to enable Bishop to “focus solely” on his role as Covid-19 spokesman.
Collins was last week under fire over her refusal to participate in a virtual Parliament because of level 4 restrictions, instead having opted to travel from Auckland to Wellington.
She raised eyebrows over how she handled an interview on the subject on TVNZ’s Breakfast show, after which Collins lashed out at presenter Indira Stewart for having a “political agenda”.
Speaking on TVNZ’s Q+A yesterday, Collins rejected any notion her leadership was under threat.
It came after two columns published by the Herald in recent days, by political editor Claire Trevett and head of business Fran O’Sullivan, that suggested with the public not backing her style, a leadership challenge could be in the wings sooner than expected.
Trevett said the end of lockdown could see National MPs devise “an elimination strategy of their own”, and another low poll of about 25 or 26 per cent could be enough to potentially trigger a challenge, even as soon as October.
O’Sullivan wrote that the party was failing its liberal wings, and Collins’ “increasingly authoritarian approach” among her MPs signalled weakness.
“I don’t know why they’d say that,” Collins said when asked about the columns.
“That is their decision to write that, not ours. What I am feeling very strongly is that the caucus is absolutely focused on making sure the Government does a better job.”
Collins said while “everybody wants to have every portfolio”, Bishop was “very comfortable” with the reshuffle.
“It is the biggest job outside the leader . . . He’s discussed it all with me, he’s very happy doing what he’s doing.”