Judith Collins has acted strongly on her first day as National’s leader and demoted Michael Woodhouse because of his less than full-and-frank disclosures over his involvement with Michelle Boag.
New National leader Judith Collins has stripped Michael Woodhouse of the health portfolio over his involvement in the Covid-19 leak.
On her first full day as leader, Collins replaced Woodhouse in the role with Shane Reti, who was also promoted to the front bench.
Woodhouse was leaked similar Covid-19 personal patient information to fellow MP Hamish Walker by Michelle Boag, the former National Party president. Walker is stepping down from the election in disgrace after he passed on that information to media.
Woodhouse says he did not use the information and eventually deleted the emails once Walker stood down, but did criticise the leak to media when it was publicly unclear where it had come from.
As a consequence, she has also promoted Shane Reti to take over the Health portfolio from Michael Woodhouse.
Speaking to reporters at 3pm, Collins said that Woodhouse had been removed from the health role.
But he’d been given the portfolio of Pike River Recovery, and the economic portfolio of regional development, in addition to his associate finance role.
She said that she had spoken with Woodhouse about the leak, and that he had made a mistake, but she still had confidence in him. “He’s a top performer,” she said.
She had advised him that the right thing to do when he received the email from Boag was to not reply, and to tell the Health Minister immediately.
She said Reti was “delighted” to be moved to the front bench.
Judith Collins has shown her toughness, and has signalled to caucus immediately that she will brook no nonsense.
She’s shown that she is tough and has very high standards, but that she also believes in forgiveness and redemption.
Michael Woodhouse has a pathway back, and he is a diligent and competent MP. He will rise again, I’m sure.
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