National Party's leader and deputy leader say details of Sam Uffindell's flat are "not great" and "yuck", and the party will continue improving its candidate selection processes.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says there is still work to do on the candidate selection processes. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
National Tauranga MP Uffindell this week admitted to beating a younger boy while he was at boarding school, then faced further allegations of bullying behaviour while at university - prompting leader Christopher Luxon to bring in an independent investigator.
Sam Uffindell. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Luxon was in Te Awamutu this afternoon, making clear efforts to divert attention from Uffindell, who, having been in Parliament just a week, was suspended from the caucus over the allegations.
"We've had a great start, we're in Te Awamutu, the heartland New Zealand," he said.
"The big news of the day I think is the release of those budget documents which shows that frankly Labour is addicted to spending and has been making the cost of living crisis worse."
It was a line he was keen to emphasise.
"They really need to face up to that problem and that was the advice that was in those documents was very obvious that actually Labour is addicted to spending and making the cost of living crisis worse."
He was soon asked how he thought his week had gone.
"Oh it's been, ah, a good week on one level. We had a fantastic conference, I think we've got an outstanding policy. 'Welfare that Works' has had a huge positive reaction, to be honest, both with community organisations and employers."
He spoke glowingly, too, of the party's annual conference in Christchurch and "good momentum" in polling, before turning to the Uffindell issues.
"[National has] come a long way in seven to eight months with the new leadership team in the National Party and then clearly, on the other hand, we've had a frustrating week with respect to Sam Uffindell and the revelations that have emerged in the last few days."
Questions have been raised over the party's candidate selection processes, with Uffindell's boarding school attack having been disclosed to the selection panel.
He admitted there was work to do on that.
"There were some aspects that worked well, and better than in the past, but clearly there were aspects of improvement ... we've just got to keep improving our processes all the time. And that's what we'll look at after we've completed the independent investigation."
The latest revelations about Uffindell's behaviour before entering politics surround the state of his flat shared with five other male students in his third year at Otago University. Women's underwear was prominently displayed on a coat hook, and health inspectors were called three times while the inhabitants competed for the title of the city's filthiest flat.
Luxon's reaction to it was subdued, but not dismissive.
"Yeah, not great. And I would just say to you, again as a dad of a daughter at university - not great, is all I can say."
His deputy leader Nicola Willis was also asked by a reporter what she thought of the images.
National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis says she recently spoke with Sam Uffindell about his return to the Tauranga seat. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
"I'm sure I'm not alone, that when I looked at the picture of women's underwear in particular I felt pretty yuck."
Willis said she had spoken to Uffindell in the last day or two and the pair discussed Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller assisting him in returning to Tauranga.
"I have shared with him my view that if there is further information that he thinks the investigation needs to bear in mind he should provide that to Maria Dew QC, to ensure that her investigation can be thorough, and of course I've sent my wishes to him and his family at what I'm sure is a difficult time."
Both said the prospect of a by-election was too speculative and premature, and they would wait until after the independent investigation before the party took action, barring further serious allegations.