National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out working with controversial Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki.
Speaking with Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking on Thursday, Luxon confirmed he would never work with Tamaki's newly launched political party after previously refusing to rule it out.
"What I've tried to say consistently is, 'I've got nothing in common with Tamaki, I think they're crazy, I don't think they're serious, I don't think they are going to make it and you saw that coalition fall apart and I said read between the lines'," the Opposition leader told Newstalk ZB.
"Here's the deal, every week if you're in the Labour Party you want to cause a distraction or what I call a squirrel to try and deflect from their utter incompetence to get anything done.
"If it helps Mike I am very happy to give you a Mike Hosking exclusive and rule out Tamaki and never work with him but I just want us to get back to focus on the big issues because this country is in trouble," he said.
It comes after Luxon faced criticism for refusing to rule out working with Tamaki's newly formed Freedoms NZ coalition party.
Last week Luxon said he didn't believe the party would make it into Parliament but said it was "way too early" to discuss potential coalitions.
In Parliament on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson hit out at Luxon's refusal to rule it out calling it a "colossal cock-up".
"What Mr Luxon has done by failing to rule out Brian Tamaki undermines the inclusive and accepting society that I would have hoped he would have been part of," Robertson said.
"Do not say to young gay New Zealanders that they do not matter, do not say to the women of New Zealand that they do not have a place in leadership.
"Because Mr Luxon you will be judged by the company you keep."
Robertson finished by demanding Luxon rule out the group and "stand up for New Zealanders' values".
The new party was launched during an anti-government protest at Parliament last Tuesday by Tamaki, although he said he wouldn't be leading it.
He said the new umbrella party would consist of the New Nation Party, Vision NZ and the Outdoors and Freedom Party.
"We have created this and I've got together and I've been working hard with some good people and we've now established an umbrella party called Freedoms New Zealand," Tamaki said at the protest. "It's about to be registered with the Electoral Commission."
"We now have three parties, three good parties that have made a commitment. Two are here today, one is in London.
"Two have signed a memorandum of agreement that totally committed. The third one is just finally getting the sign-off and approval from their people, and their board but they have given the thumbs up. So that's three good parties that have already committed in uniting to fight for what is right.
But the Outdoors and Freedom Party said Tamaki had jumped the gun and revealed they had yet to reach a consensus.
"Outdoors & Freedom Party would like to clarify. Brian Tamaki has jumped the gun re declaring us in his umbrella party," the party said in a statement on Facebook at the time.
"As a party, we have been doing our own work behind the scenes and have requested time to discuss the issues together as a party and come to a consensus as to the way forward. We emailed him last week telling him this.
"It was inappropriate for him to do what he did today, saying the Outdoors & Freedom Party was going under his umbrella."
It was unclear which member of the Outdoors Party wrote the post.
In response, Tamaki claimed he did have permission from two of the party's members.
He said they were happy for him to announce it and the party co-leader Sue Grey "wants in".
Tamaki also made it clear the party was still working through a process with their members to get on board with the merger.
The Outdoors Party posted another statement in response saying while they need a coalition, they are considering "all options".
The comments come after right-leaning political commentator Matthew Hooton said Labour and The National Party shouldn't rule out a grand coalition to keep extremist fringe parties out of power as they gain public support.
The fringe parties would need five percent of the party vote to get into Parliament.
