Judith Collins undecided if Michael Woodhouse will keep health role in wake of Covid-19 patient info leak

July 15, 2020

The new National leader wouldn't confirm if Mr Woodhouse would keep his health portfolio when pressed by Breakfast host John Campbell.

New National Party leader Judith Collins is undecided on if she will keep MP Michael Woodhouse as the party's health spokesperson following last week's Covid-19 patient information leak.

Naitonal's Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker resigned after he confessed it was him who leaked the confidential information to media.

Michelle Boag, who was National's former president and who had a long-standing involvement with the party, also stepped aside over here involvement in the breach. She gave the information to Mr Walker, having abused her her position as acting CEO of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Collins was tonight elected to lead National after Todd Muller stepped down.

When questioned over her party's reshuffle on TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning, Ms Collins said there wasn't any reason not to keep Nikki Kaye on the education portfolio.

However, when she was asked by host John Campbell if Mr Woodhouse would stay in health, Ms Collins said she would be having talks this morning.

"We've got a couple of changes to make but I spoke to Nikki - I'm just saying Nikki because I spoke to her last night, and she was very keen to keep it [education] and I haven't spoken to Michael yet," she said.

"I would like to know what happened last week because I wasn't party to it and I think I need to get my head very much around what happened and just to make some decisions on that.

"I think it's important I know the facts and I don't know the facts. I've only seen some comment in the media and there's been quite a lot of comment and I need to have those facts.

"I think this is a very serious issue what happened with the patients' information, the 18 people whose privacy was so seriously breached. I want to know everything else what happened there before we come to any conclusions."

Ms Collins was tonight elected to replace Todd Muller in charge of National.

When asked about Dr Shane Reti as a standby for the health spokesperson role, Ms Collins said he wasn't just a doctor but a specialist, "a top notch person and a great MP".

Ms Collins said moving forward, National would focus on rebuilding the economy and getting people into work - with a particular focus on infrastructure.

At about 9.30pm yesterday, she became the party's third leader since May after several prior attempts to become leader.

The news came after a shock announcement from Todd Muller, who yesterday morning announced he was to resign as National leader "effective immediately".

He will stay on as MP for the Bay of Plenty.

"It has become clear to me that I am not the best person to be leader of the Opposition and leader of the New Zealand National Party at this critical time for New Zealand," he wrote in a statement

"The role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective."

Mr Muller had a turbulent 53 days in the role.

He has only been in the role for a short time, after ousting Simon Bridges.

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