The Prime Minister has been forced to look into allegations made in Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics about Justice Minister Judith Collins.
John Key says he'll get some advice over claims she helped get an inmate moved as a favour to blogger Cameron Slater.
Ms Collins has made no attempt to clear up allegations she used dirty tactics. A whole chapter of Dirty Politics is dedicated to Collins.
The allegations range from leaks of confidential Government information to smear campaigns.
There is even a suggestion the minister may have helped shift an inmate between prisons as a favour to Slater in 2010.
"I haven't seen those comments so I can't comment on that," says Mr Key. "I'll get some advice on that, but I haven't seen it."
The book says when ACC leaked private details of thousands of claimants to Bronwyn Pullar in 2012, an ex-prostitute friend of Slater's was worried her file was among them.
Slater apparently told her he'd call Ms Collins and find out and later said he "spoke to the minister".
He then appeared to know details of the leak before they were public.
"He needs to look into and if it's found to be true he needs to get rid of her as a minister," says Labour Party's Grant Robertson.
But Ms Collins has always said she didn't leak information, and Mr Key believes her.
Ms Collins hasn't addressed any of the allegations, but says it's ironic Mr Hager's book Dirty Politics is based on stolen emails, 'what-ifs' and fanciful speculation.
The book also alleges Mr Key was involved in helping Slater get official intelligence documents from his spy agency to humiliate Labour's former leader Phil Goff.
But Mr Key continues to refute the claims.
There are also accusations of a blackmail plot to topple former ACT leader Rodney Hide with dirty texts, but Mr Hide today rubbished the claims
A lot of people come off badly in the book and Ms Collins was one of the worst.
She was supposedly on her last warning after the Oravida debacle, and the next move is up to Mr Key.
3 News
source: newshub archive
