Some National MPs are incredulous over what one has described as the leadership "going to war with the media".
National leader Judith Collins pulled out of planned media appearances on Wednesday, leaving ACT leader David Seymour to field questions for the Opposition.
For Newshub it all started at 1:33am on Wednesday morning, when National's chief press secretary texted Newshub Nation to renege on Collins' planned appearance on the show this coming weekend.
Collins was also pulled from her regular slot on RNZ's Morning Report.
She then refused to do the usual media news conference ahead of Parliament's Question Time.
Seymour, who's gaining on National in the polls, was more than happy to step into the breach and canvas the issues of the day.
One MP told Newshub they need to be talking about what Kiwis care about, not going to war with the media - and that this is a "fatal error of judgement".
And it's not just Collins - all National MPs have been banned from coming on Newshub Nation by the leader's press secretary.
The National Party has been fighting for air time, fighting for relevance, and fighting to talk about what matters. This is the exact opposite of that.
