National MP Hamish Walker demoted after admitting to giving media outlets Covid-19 patients' personal details, provided to him by Michelle Boag - a former National president who worked for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust

This is another case of Muller not being in control of his party, not that he can control his own media sessions. First it was Bishop, then Woodhouse now Boag and her idiot, Walker.
You can expext to see a big drop in the next polls.
They should all take a one way flight to Wuhan. They wouldn't need to pay for their flights, Pooh would take care of that. They are all an absolute embarrassment.
One could ask where does National go from here but who really cares.

This is the sorry face of National pre 2017, the like of Gilmour and Barclay. This is the modus operandi of National that Winston Peter’s reacted to over the leaking of his confidential information. This is the face of National that the people of NZ came to see as being conceited, complacent, careless and downright shifty. This is the face of National that caused voters to turn quickly and easily to Jacinda Ardern because big corporate business was far more important than they were. Pete Seeger wrote “when will they ever learn” not this lot ever from the look of it. For a start the perpetrators should be booted out, never to return.

That's ok, you are a yummy, crispy piece of fish to eat.

Probably got one of the more interesting work histories among the younger MPs: "Hamish has also previously held roles as a commercial fisherman, police jailor, gold miner, mentor for youth living with diabetes, successful business owner and former First Class Rugby Referee.

Hamish is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, and has served on the Otago Rugby Board. He was previously a member of the Otago/Southland Lotteries Committee."

I have given up on the Nationalists Party. They run by clowns wearing pointy white hats now.

She did wonder what happened to the other 18 COVIDs and how come we're on 19 already.

Muller is just as bad with his gaffes, let alone Bishop, Woodhouse, Boag and Walker.
Seymour should sack himself as he is now, political toast. Next offering could be a dancer. He Tworkes pretty well doesn't he.
Muller's only redemption is he has stood down Walker straight away.
Quite honestly, Muller should demote himself before the next polls are released.
Bridges must be laughing his head off.
Where are Garner and Richardson going to hide on the AM show tomorrow morning. Three were very brief on the news item tonight compared to One which was more expansive. Tell's a story dosen't it.

Andrew Little, David Parker. Chris Hipkins seems to have been generally competent, although not showing any particular wins.

David Seymour did a good job on the euthanasia bill. I think Julie Ann Genter has done a good job generally. Nicola Willis sounded good this morning when talking about state housing and admitting that National shouldn't have sold off state houses.

NZ is in a crisis situation. We all know that. Yet rather than providing the maturity, decency and leadership that is their sworn duty, and what we the electorate are entitled to expect, these identities resort to guttersniping, and playing loose with the confidential information of private individuals. And for what exactly? Their own priority of self interest, self gain at the expense of everyone else. Representation for good of the people? Not bloody likely, not by a long shot. This is a shocking indictment on the calibre and scruples of our political scenario, this party in particular.

Heard on the radio he has done some English interviews. About 4 I think. (If we are referring to the same Chinese MP).

Exactly, what is going to come next......
National is going to be in the political world -a -less after this debarcle.
You might as well resign Muller. You carn't control your own party. They have no confidence in confiding in you. You dont have the knowledge and/or the experience at this level.
Just step down and give Crusher Collins do the job.

'Firing' would realistically mean de-selecting him for the seat at the election. I'm not sure how much power National's constitution gives head office have over electorate selections, my understanding is not a huge amount. We'll see if he lasts the week I guess.

It's laughable how many idiots like her are on the boards of companies. Huge amount of cronyism at play.

Yes, must be hard calling the government idiots and then realising (if they actually have any self realization) that your favored 'team blue' are even worse.

I agree being in business myself. The problem with the current applicants is at their 12 month employment review most would be on their final written warning!!

Yes, something I have been thinking about. I am not convinced it would attract better calibre, but in theory it might help.
I think it would need to be a lot higher to make much difference.

And take away some of the parliamentary privileges that make them immune to accountability for their actions

Get real no way. The propaganda minister is already 7th highest in the world. I'm sure trump doesn't do it for the money nor do nz pollies such as the air nz guy

I think they need to start IQ testing MPs this is getting ridiculous

Michelle Boag isn’t brainless, far from it. She’s a major player from way back, with a few skeletons in the closet.

Walker will resign. Should have done so by now. If not he should be made to do so pronto. An individual who peddles confidential personal information to the media, for political gain, is not fit to be in parliament, or anywhere else for that matter. Just get up and go boyo, you are a disgrace.

'Some of' you mean literally just those people? Labour doesn't exactly have a great pulpit to preach on here when it comes to fronting up for mistakes you make. How many months before Clark got stood down, again?

This is not incompetence, this is a malicious and deliberate breach of NZ citizens' private medical records for political gain. Say what you like about Clark (I agree he's a moron) but to suggest there are similarities between these two events is disingenuous.

Idiots both. Intolerable. Firing squad is the only option. Why Walker thought the info in the spread sheet was newsworthy has me intrigued. It was common knowledge quarantine admin processes were a shambles so even this clown would've understood that some dolt omitting a spreadsheet password wasn't newsworthy. In his tiny brain he thought this was something bigger and his silly statement a few days earlier that he 'had information' thousands of east asians were about to be quarantined in southland possibly provides a clue that for some reason he believed ethnicity of the listed names was significant. Speculation of course but it's hard to believe his apparent level of dumbness. More to emerge I suspect, especially if he goes Jamie Lee Ross postal. We shall see but meantime Muller has fortunately belatedly grasped that he can't follow the Ardern/Curran limp wrist playbook on this one.

Yes. The likely progression was Boag getting the info and looking for a patsy to leak it. Walker wouldn't have been in her circle so there's a middleman/woman or three in the frame, too.