Source: Radio New Zealand
National MP Stuart Smith. RNZ / Angus Dreaver
National’s chief whip Stuart Smith has finally addressed media at Parliament, denying reports that he had tried to alert the Prime Minister to flagging caucus support prior to Easter.
The public denial comes after a similar written statement was issued on Tuesday, four days after the story was first reported by the New Zealand Herald.
Before that, Smith had repeatedly refused to talk to media. He was also absent from National’s critical caucus meeting on Tuesday due to a “long-standing personal appointment”. During that meeting, Luxon called and won a motion of confidence in his leadership.
Speaking on Wednesday, Smith insisted that at no point had he attempted to contact Christopher Luxon about discontent in the caucus.
He also denied ever being handed a letter to pass on to Luxon regarding his support.
Smith declined, however, to say whether any MPs had ever raised concerns with him about Luxon’s leadership.
“I don’t discuss anything that goes on with caucus members and the whips’ office. That’s totally confidential,” he said.
“People come to me with lots of things, and they are between me and them.”
Asked why he did not publicly deny the NZ Herald report until Tuesday morning, Smith said: “I didn’t feel it was appropriate.”
He said he also did not feel as if he needed to contact Luxon directly, but revealed he had spoken to his chief of staff Cameron Burrows on Friday.
Smith refused to reveal the nature of that conversation: “That remains between him and I”.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Luxon said he retained “total confidence” in Smith as chief whip.
Asked for further comment, Luxon cut off questions: “If you want to talk about things outside the beltway that actually connect to New Zealanders and what’s interesting to them, rather than what may be interesting to you in the beltway and the bubble of Wellington, let’s have that conversation.”
Smith’s written statement on Tuesday was issued by the Prime Minister’s office.
“I did want to confirm that I did not contact the Prime Minister or his office seeking a meeting,” the statement said.
“I am disappointed by recent speculative media coverage. The Prime Minister has my full support.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
