There was frustration from the Prime Minister today with Judith Collins keeping Dirty Politics in the headlines for another day.
The Justice Minister is still refusing to apologise to the public servant who was exposed to death threats after she sent his personal details to Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater.
"People aren't interested in this sort of nonsense," Ms Collins says.
But it keeps rolling on and gaining momentum, because the minister who declared war on cyber bullying is still refusing to apologise to the public servant who was bullied online, receiving death threats, after she passed his name and phone number onto Slater.
She was silent when asked whether she would apologise to Mr Pleasants.
Ms Collins also denies allegations in Dirty Politics that she gave confidential details to Slater about the Bronwyn Pullar ACC leak.
Ms Pullar, a staunch National supporter, steered clear of Ms Collins today.
Ms Collins had a group of core supporters in National's caucus. They would have backed her for leader one day.
But the book seems to have changed that, with sources telling 3 News they're now backing away.
Ms Collins maintains she's still got the support, but it's not her caucus; it's John Key's.
"I've never had leadership ambitions," Ms Collins says.
And as Ms Collins' star falls, the word within National is that Paula Bennett's is rising
It was all smiles at the National Party launch today and they were fixed on the faces of National MPs.
But it's a brave face and not reflective of what's really going on. Behind the glitz are the rifts caused by Dirty Politics and the circus around Ms Collins.
But Ms Collins may not mind either way, and as she says in the book: "If you can't be loved, then best to be feared."
She says she was just quoting someone else; that person she was paraphrasing was Machiavelli – a name synonymous with dirty politics
3 News
source: newshub archive
