Simon Bridges says he's arranged to have Kiwi woman Abby Hartley - currently in hospital in Bali - flown home.
Ms Hartley fell ill at the start of August on the first day of her 'second honeymoon', and was put into a coma on August 15 with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), several infections, a collapsed lung and kidney failure, triggered by a twisted bowel.
- Government unable to offer financial support for sick mum's return
- $160k needed to bring Kiwi mum fighting for life in Bali home
The Government refused to chip in for her medical and evacuation costs - which run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - saying she should have organised insurance. She says she did have travel insurance, but it didn't cover pre-existing conditions.
Mr Bridges says last week he was contacted by "concerned New Zealanders" with pockets deep enough to cover the cost of her treatment and medevac.
"They don't want anything out of this, but they wanted to help,' the National Party leader told The AM Show. "They could see money was the issue. Obviously there's been money on Givealittle, but actually they've underwrited what's happened and paid for the Medevac. I got in contact with Richard Hartley - I set all of that up."
A Givealittle page set up by Ms Hartley's daughter Sophie has raised more than $230,000 so far.
"There's still medical complications... but what has happened, which is really great, is money won't be the issue when it comes to getting [husband] Richard and Abby out of Bali," said Mr Bridges. "It's been paid for. It was about $170,000. Those concerned New Zealanders that I know have done that."
He wouldn't say who they were.
"They're people I know not really well, but a bit, and they wanted to do the right thing here."
Mr Bridges said he didn't know which insurance company Ms Hartley was with. The family have kept it secret.
Asked if he'd use taxpayer money to get Ms Hartley home if he was Prime Minister, Mr Bridges hinted he would.
"I don't want to play politics on it. I'm pleased that the right thing has happened. I can understand what the PM and Winston Peters are saying about this in relation to precedents, but the truth is precedents are broken all the time - whether it's paying out in Christchurch, whether it's sending a plane out to something that's happened.
"I think I may well have looked at doing the right thing here if I was Prime Minister... this is a New Zealander."
It's not clear what day Ms Hartley will be evacuated from Bali, with her condition "very up and down", according to the latest update on Givealittle.
Newshub.
