Judith Collins has apologised to Speaker Trevor Mallard over a "misleading" post on National's Facebook page criticising the Government's Covid-19 response.
Last Tuesday, a post appeared on the New Zealand National Party Facebook page purporting to show correspondence between Health Minister Chris Hipkins and National's health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
The picture contains a letterhead stating the message is from Mr Hipkins. However, in Parliament today Mr Mallard stated the image had been doctored.
"Members, I have received a letter from the Hon Chris Hipkins raising with me a matter of privilege: the alteration and misrepresentation of a reply to a written question posted by the National Party on social media," he began when addressing the matter.
"The content — altered reply purporting to be from the Minister of Health and is on the face of it misleading. In normal circumstances I would be inclined to find that a question of privilege is involved and refer the matter to the Privileges Committee.
"The post purports to be authorised by the Leader of the Opposition, although she has assured me that she did not see it before publication.
"The general manager of the New Zealand National Party has taken responsibility for it.
"The post involved the manufacture of fake ministerial letterhead to lend authenticity to the misrepresentation.
"However, the Leader of the Opposition has apologised, I have been assured that the material has been removed from social media, and in light of the impending dissolution of Parliament I do not intend to take any further action," he concluded.
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