National Party leader Judith Collins wants the media to give her caucus colleagues a break and stop asking them about whether they're plotting to roll her.
Whether Collins will lead the party into the 2023 election is again in question, with former leader Simon Bridges giving vague answers to Newshub when asked about the rumours of a spill.
"It's all just chatter, it's all just rumour and speculation and I support Judith Collins at this time," he said, adding that he "can't be expected to remember" whether he's discussed a potential ticket with first-term MP Christopher Luxon, the former boss of Air New Zealand tipped to be a future leader of the party.
A poll last week by Australian research company Roy Morgan found support for National slipping further, down to 23 percent and leaking support to ACT on the right.
Duncan Garner, host of The AM Show, put it to her on Wednesday morning that Bridges' qualifier - "at this time" - suggested there was a coup brewing.
"I don't think that's true. We're focused on the things that matter," Collins said, pointing to the launch of the party's new housing policy and a Member's Bill in her name focused on boosting supply.
Garner said on Tuesday she acknowledged there were "whispers". Collins said not anymore.
"Not now. It's all fine, thank you. We had a very good caucus, we had a really good policy caucus last night as well, everyone's working very hard. They actually all want everyone to be focused and we are focused on the things that matter to New Zealanders, like housing, like MIQ - those are the things that we're working on."
She talked up both Bridges and Luxon, saying she had "no problem at all" trusting them, and had no plans to confront them about the ongoing chatter.
"I don't need to. There's nothing going on. It is simply a bit of mischief-making... the media are very good at that."
Collins said the media should leave Bridges and Luxon alone.
"They're not conspiring at all... these guys are working hard - just let them get on with the job."
Asked about his ambitions on Friday, Bridges didn't immediately rule out another tilt.
"There's so many things I could say. We've answered this many times. I am happy to be the MP for Tauranga. I'm enjoying not working quite as hard, but still doing lots of things in the electorate and out and about. Life is good."
And in March he said preferred Prime Minister polling showed Collins was "800 percent" more popular than him. The 1 News-Colmar Brunton poll he was referencing showed Luxon on 2 percent, behind Collins' 8 percent and Jacinda Ardern's 43.
