Collins remains National leader: 'I did everything I could'

Judith Collins hopes to contest the 2023 election as National leader, saying the party needs 'stability'; She pledges to have a 'thorough' party review conducted

18th Oct 20, 1:46pm by Jenée Tibshraeny

Judith Colllins

Judith Collins is remaining National leader to bring “stability” to the party.

However, following Labour’s landslide victory, she says a review of the party will be done.

It will look at the past three years, and investigate constitutional matters - including candidate selection.

Speaking to media on Sunday morning, Collins said she didn’t expect a leadership challenge.

“I did everything I could,” she said, refusing to personally take blame for the election result.

“I take absolute personal responsibility for working every single day and night for the campaign,” she said.

“I am very happy doing the job I’m doing…

“There’s only one thing to look forward to, and that’s 2023.”

Collins said she hoped she would be in a position to run for prime minister at the next election.

National’s caucus is meeting on Tuesday.

Collins said she would vote to re-elect long-time National Party President, Peter Goodfellow.

Collins said National’s internal polling (which interest.co.nz hasn't seen) suggested the party had around 40% support before the second Covid-19 lockdown, and a leaked email that MP Denise Lee sent to the caucus, complaining about Collins announcing a policy to review Auckland Council without consulting her first, cost the party 5% at the polls.

Collins backed the party’s finance spokesperson, Paul Goldsmith, who’s responsible for a number of holes in the party's proposed budget.

Asked whether she believed the party’s policy mix had anything to do with its poor result, Collins said, “It may have," but she couldn't point to a policy she wished she'd brought to the table.

Ultimately, she believed a lot came down to Covid-19 and people being “frightened” of change.

However, Collins said she also had to deal with “some difficult things”, including exiting two MPs - Hamish Walker and Andrew Falloon.

Asked whether she believed National supporters, who voted Labour, would have buyer's remorse, Collins said she hoped not, but worried about Labour’s fiscal policies.

“I feel very concerned for my country," she said.

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89 Comments

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 1:59pm 1602982755

ha, no one wants the job right now.

But i'm sure the knives are not only sharpened but poised and ready.

The only question is when she is despatched.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 2:14pm 1602983646

Can they get Key, English and Joyce back?
Its there only hope.....

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 2:30pm 1602984630

I'd say most people have moved on from the pony tail puller Oreo.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 2:32pm 1602984730

Haha. You never know he may give another pull....

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 3:07pm 1602986830

The Jolly Kid got his knighthood , Sir Tugger ... that was all he really wanted from being PM ... no incentive to return ... no more baubles to be had ...

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 3:20pm 1602987622

He wanted another term for sure, but he really wanted one more thing.

To be written into the history books as the guy who changed the flag.

He would have chosen that over the knighthood (that he bought back in) any day.

And I think a log of people voted against changing it because they didn't like Key, really, really didn't like him.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 4:47pm 1602992829

... I thought the $ 26 million wasted on the flag referendum was pure BS .... except ... the Kiwi with the laser beam eyes was pretty rad .. I'd have gone with that ...

by frazz | 19th Oct 20, 7:53am 1603047194

Finally I agree with you on something Gummy

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 4:15pm 1602990933

Haha OC, I think those gentlemen are way too smart to return The danger for National imv would be trying to recreate them in some other incarnation. Those who think Nationals hope for near term redemption lies in Chris Luxon would be making a mistake. However Key's ability as a deal maker is definitely needed and the Nats are woefully short of "statesman" qualities the other two had unfortunately

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 6:41pm 1602999675

How old is John Key's son Max now?....could be like the Bushes in the US.
What about the wives of Key, English and Joyce? Could be like the Clinton's and soon Obama's wife.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 7:04pm 1603001098

Are you partaking in a second bottle of Pinot??

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 7:11pm 1603001476

Very funny. haha
Just chucking a few ideas out there.
The Nats are at an all time low

by frazz | 19th Oct 20, 7:54am 1603047275

So you recommend a DJ property developer (with Daddys help) as the next Nat leader...sounds desperate?

by OreoContrarian | 19th Oct 20, 9:23am 1603052614

This one made it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9rsxFaq6Ig
So anything is possible.......

by tothepoint - d… | 18th Oct 20, 2:47pm 1602985622

Judith Collins has done a pretty good job under diabolical circumstances.

Anyone who challenges her at this point shows a complete lack of wisdom/judgement.......

The solution for National doesn't lie in further leadership changes.

National now needs to focus on policy and discipline. If it does that, it will have a very good chance of governing in 2023.

TTP

by childofthesun | 18th Oct 20, 3:32pm 1602988379

Judith Collins is tone deaf and Labour will be hoping that she stays in her job as long as possible. The gift that keeps on giving. National need to forget about 2023 and focus on 2026. Might be just long enough for them to learn a few things.

by Beanie | 18th Oct 20, 3:36pm 1602988612

She is unelectable. I guess that is 'stability'.

by Pietro | 18th Oct 20, 2:00pm 1602982846

The fact is that Collins was a very, very last choice, a final throw of the dice, a ‘well we’re, f****ed anyway, so why not?’ She had been sidelined over the years for good reasons: she is an attack dog, short on unity and loyalty and not leadership material. Ironically, the Nats could have stuck with English, or Bridges, and probably done better. Big job ahead for the party so many of us look to to keep the ship steady. Need to start at the very top.

by Foxglove. | 18th Oct 20, 2:41pm 1602985312

Chris Finlayson made the point National started heading south when JLR’s exposure hit the fan. Followed by messrs Walker & Falloon with a dose of Boag. Then the engineered departure of Bridges & the arrival of the ill fated Muller, his quick departure along with Ms Adams & Ms Kaye following their toys out of the window. So Ms Collins came on the scene in an impossible set of circumstances & predicaments and and adopted an attack is the best means of defence, what else could she do but her best. Still promoting to #2 a relic such as Brownlee was imprudent and by running true to form, he sure did not help his leader one little bit.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 2:49pm 1602985748

Agreed, it was a slow motion train wreck that just seemed to gain momentum week by week until the campaign started and they hit the self destruct button. Like the old saying goes - why be broke when you can be bankrupt?

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 2:04pm 1602983070

... at the very least , they ought to oust Jumbo Gerry from the deputy role .... it's not just the voters of Ilam who have a dim view of him .... Mark Mitchell or Christopher Luxon should be brought in , under Collins's stewardship ....

by Pietro | 18th Oct 20, 2:19pm 1602983969

Mitchell has no chance. Luxon is the anointed one, but National needs to steer clear of evangelism. Huge problem for the Nats is that Labour is now a centre government. They just need to steer clear of the Greens, or at least keep them at arms length. The numbers clearly show that many National voters ticked Labour, and they will be twitchy about stuff like the theft tax, executing farmers, making roads too narrow for cars and so on.

by lowercase capitalist | 18th Oct 20, 2:32pm 1602984739

> the theft tax, executing farmers, making roads too narrow for cars

‽‽‽

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 2:28pm 1602984531

I think its the greens that steer clear of national isn't it?

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 2:42pm 1602985363

It is. Vehemently. Pity though, if the Greens could get over themselves and agree to work with the Nats they may actually achieve more in a future coalition. I think there is an element of Nats support who also lean towards environmental outcomes and possibly there are conservative environmental voters out there. Certainly Vernon Tava thought so

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 3:01pm 1602986492

I think the Greens look at what happened to the decimation of the Maori party after going into coalition with National though? (and United Future)

Or maybe that's just to do with how they have percieved National over the last 20 years or so.

But the new National surely can't go on like their predecessors after tallying up 27% of the vote.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 3:18pm 1602987492

National now have a chance to rewrite their playbook. Hopefully they take it. Looking back to the Key years and hoping to repeat that experience would be a mistake. Trouble is both major parties are squabbling over the same ground with only minor differentiation between them and National just trotted out the same old tired message. They had ample opportunity to highlight Labours failings over the last three years but completely bungled it. We need a National party with new ideas, a new message and a viable way of implementing it. This election was a salutary lesson in how not to run a campaign and how not to be an opposition party. And also how not to cry over or dwell on spilt milk

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 3:31pm 1602988290

Totally agree Hook.

But even last night on the TV they had people still crying about Jacinda getting air time over covid and the like. Talk about the things you can control, not the stuff you can't.

Who is going to be the person that changes them? Mark Mitchell doesn't seem that guy, in fact I'd say he's a scarier proposition as PM than Crusher. Luxon? Seems like Mr right guy in the right place at the right time at Air NZ. And the fact he had to be called Christopher rather than Chris, that's got pompous twat written all over it.

Nikki Kaye was interesing on TV1 last night, she said they had a couple of really good young female candidates (down south I think) but both lost their seats so the concern was now keeping them in the party.

Then one of the Labour comentators mentioned how it's so hard to get someone that is the right fit (to be leader), the exact reason that Labour went through, Goff, Shearer, Cunniliffe and Little before Ardern came along. He said you it's pretty much pot luck, put them out there with the suit on and see if they manage to fit it.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 4:26pm 1602991582

Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams should be ashamed of their contribution to Nationals position. That she is still commentating on Nationals matters is a disgrace. Their departure was blatant self interest denied and they both tossed their toys. Their "puppet" didn't stand up and their machinations to wield power from "behind the throne" failed. If they were that worried about their families and health they had ample time to leave prior to that leadership challenge. A pox on both their houses

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 5:03pm 1602993790

Hooten did more damage than Kaye or Adams though.

He was the, er, 'mastermind' behind Mr Tall Man I've worked for Fonterra so and 'I know big business' Muller.

That was when the death spiral really started.

Who would you put as leader though?

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 5:56pm 1602996985

To be honest - I'm not sure. I thought Collins might have been more effective than she is. I like Reti - calm, educated, a good speaker who knows his facts. Personally I like him. Imo he should be allowed to gain some experience with a view to leadership in maybe late '22 early '23

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 6:12pm 1602997960

Yep, he looked really good but then had a couple of slipups in one interview and looked kind of ameteur.

But yeah, he'd seem a lot more appealing to the centre swing voters that went red this time than Mitchell ever will.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 6:34pm 1602999275

The thing of it is muzled, when the country is voting for personalities as opposed to policy (and that seems to be where we're going) then we're off to hell in a handbasket. The MSM have a lot to answer for in that space and SM is a big influence too. I don't know what the answer is, but I do know this election was the most vacuous, insipid personality contest (with maybe the exception of the minors) that has been visited on NZ since I've been old enough to vote.

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 7:14pm 1603001685

Yeah, fair call.

Bit of an unusual year and hopefully next time we can have a little more policy, but I can't imagine we'd be sitting at L1 if we had a Bridges/Muller/Collins lead govt. National just wouldn't have stood up to China and closed the borders, because, you know, the economy.

At the end of the day though you have to be able to relay the fact that you want to do good for the country. Ardern is very good at that (and although she's very good at playing the game she wants a better NZ). Reti also comes across the same. Good reason for getting into politics

Collins, Mitchell and I'm going to add Luxon in there as well (until proven otherwise) come across as looking after themselves and the top 2%. Not good reasons for getting into politics.

Those days are hopefully gone. 98% of us should be flicking the bird at politicians that want to look after the top 2%, hence why I've never understood why National are so popular. The way they are now, 27% is flattering.

I stopped reading (and listening to) MSM about 3 years ago, actually the last time I turned on telly was to watch Mike Hoskings sour face on 7 sharp exactly 3 years ago this day, they're a waste of space on the whole. Wifey spends hours scrolling through the latest pile of shit to pop up on Stuff daily, drives me nuts! ;)

Me, I'm here on interest talking to you... :)

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 4:20pm 1602991204

i think we have seen the future of MMP in NZ,, five parties only,
the greens have taken the far left from labour so labour are now a center left party, ACT has taken the right from national so national are now a center right party. the two parties that are closest are now national and labour
the maori party could always get to have an MP here or there because those seats vote the most strategic,
looking at the party vote it looks like a lot of people voted labour to stop the greens taking them to far left

by AndrewRiddell5886 | 19th Oct 20, 1:10pm 1603066238

There is nothing common to the Greens and National.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 2:25pm 1602984358

GB is getting stale.. so I agree, time for him to retire. Luxon is too new and Mitchell still has the Middle East Contractor baggage hanging over him - might make a good Defence spokesman though, showed good control on Q&A this morning. Reti needs to feature highly imo. Goldsmith should stay and I hope Willis gets told to tone it down - less theatrics and more substance works better imv. Bridges keeps Justice and maybe FAs. Either way Collins will stay - not many others to choose from. Maybe Muller as DL?

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 2:32pm 1602984736

.. agree with all you say except Todd Muller as DL ... they need to groom a future replacement for Crusher ... hence my feeling that someone like Luxon should come under her tutelage ....

If we have a weakened opposition , we run the risk of a sloppy & arrogant government .... come on Gnats , get it together ...

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 4:21pm 1602991301

they need to get goldsmith a new abacus the amount of times he gets numbers wrong is mind boggling

by JimboJones | 18th Oct 20, 4:39pm 1602992383

He feels like he’s in the wrong decade still pushing the old familiar tune. Government racking up tons of debt so a good time for a tax cut. And while they are shafting the young may as well stop super fund contributions to shaft them that bit more.

by Noncents | 18th Oct 20, 2:50pm 1602985851

Yes, two great leaders there. sigh....

Collins is as Pietro said an Attack dog. Highly useful in opposition, but would get slaughtered if she was actually in charge - you can't attack yourself.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 2:14pm 1602983651

This result is exactly what National needed. A good hard kick in the pants. Now they can go back and review the behaviour and conduct within the entire caucus. Their candidate selection process should be next, followed by MSM and SM conduct and disclosure rules. Let's face it - a process that puts JLR and the two idiots from Southland into Parliament and picks a kid who couldn't even vote when he was selected is SERIOUSLY flawed.

by xingmowang | 18th Oct 20, 2:21pm 1602984084

national governing alone increased house price.

labore governing alone will increase prices of everything.

by bw | 18th Oct 20, 2:37pm 1602985031

When did National last govern alone? Muldoon?
But you're kind of right - John Key said he was going to address the price of housing, but he must have forgotten that bit of his promises to the electorate.
(We all have the suspicion that he was taken into the backroom of the Central Banking Collective - probably right after his appearance on the Letterman Show; beaten mercilessly and told to "Get back home, and get your people borrowing like we are going to do!" Ardern will be taken into that same backroom; probably on the reassuring arm of one Adrian Orr. What she does will be interesting for us all to watch)

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 2:34pm 1602984890

Agreed xing.. whilst the minimum wage increases are good (to a point) said increase will push the price of living up slowly but inexorably as employers move to maintain their margins, which in many SMEs are pretty slim already. Add to that the proposed doubling of sick leave and 10% increase in Stats and the screws just keep being tightened.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 2:39pm 1602985190

... Communist Party governing alone = worst air pollution in the world , = one child policy , = Yellow River turning brown , = suppression of minorities , = no freedom of speech , = censored internet ....

Think we got lucky with our choice between " national " and " labore " ...

by JimboJones | 18th Oct 20, 4:41pm 1602992463

Sure hope they increase the price of everything. Inflation would be the end of the stupidly low interest rates.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 2:39pm 1602985198

Crusher got crushed.

by tothepoint - d… | 18th Oct 20, 2:44pm 1602985442

Hi Malarkey,

Is that the most in-depth comment you can come up with?

TTP

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 2:46pm 1602985562

What more needs to be said? Sorry you’re so butthurt, but life’s not fair.

by sharetrader | 18th Oct 20, 4:24pm 1602991493

her own words
She appears to have embraced it, declaring on the day she became leader:
"I am hoping that the National Party can crush the other lot when it comes to September 19."

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 3:35pm 1602988518

You have to give National credit on one key point. The party has never deviated from its core values. It’s the party of the wealthy few, for the wealthy few, and it doesn’t pretend otherwise. Through the years Labour spread itself thin over the entire political spectrum, but National steadfastly and proudly stayed true to itself. Which is, of course, why it is the party beloved only by pampered inheritors and sleazy crooks.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 2:51pm 1602985885

Collins and her husband now have more time to take secret meetings with shady Chinese “businessmen”.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 3:21pm 1602987681

You're on the wrong forum bud.. perhaps Twitter or Facebook is more suited

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 3:31pm 1602988274

Maybe I ought to be on Whaleoil— oh wait, never mind.

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 4:31pm 1602991882

Maybe you and Hager could start a blog? with Slater as consultant.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 4:54pm 1602993265

Slater can’t even help himself after his stroke. Morbid obesity is a poor life choice.

by paashaas | 19th Oct 20, 9:29am 1603052984

tsk , tsk .. your Leader says it is NOT a choice. How very insensitive of you .

by linklater01 | 18th Oct 20, 3:44pm 1602989066

Not a hint that her strident, negative campaign might have put people off. I think Matthew Hooton may well be proved right in saying that National are likely to bury their heads even deeper in the sand and fail again in 2023.

Ardern doesn't have to deliver everything by then if she can demonstrate some real progress on housing, infrastructure, healthcare and importantly, show that she is willing to work with business.

by b21 | 18th Oct 20, 4:53pm 1602993205

Good on her, she earned it and probably did the best job she could given the mess her party has turned into in the past few years.

by Malarkey | 18th Oct 20, 4:56pm 1602993370

The National Party is a total basketcase largely due to the corruption and incompetence of the likes of Judith ‘Crushed’ Collins.

by b21 | 18th Oct 20, 5:15pm 1602994513

Agree, my point is that at least she did the hard job and took one for the team when nobody else wanted, seeing her speech last night was almost heartbreaking from a human perspective.

by Fluffybunny | 19th Oct 20, 8:14am 1603048499

Why feel sorry for her? She's probably been half responsible for the rolling of the previous 2 leaders. Pretty clear she always had designs on the top job.

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 6:14pm 1602998041

'Crushed'

hahah, top notch!

by kiwi_overseas | 18th Oct 20, 5:05pm 1602993925

1) National needs to move left to find the centre of politics again. The whole of politics in NZ has moved left.

2) To be competitive National also eventually needs to find a leader with the humanity of Jacinda, and who openly stated last night she is governing for all NZers. Under MMP the centre is the winner as it should be.

3) I also hope this government and future governments (whoever they may be) pick up and continue with the well-being approach started by English & Key.

The true mandate for NZ is a centrist government (& local government) that undertakes socio-economic cost benefit assessment on their policies/laws/regulations to ensure they increase the net welfare (wellbeing) per capita of NZer's.

by b21 | 18th Oct 20, 5:12pm 1602994379

Not too sure about 1), in my opinion the reason why Labour has obliterated the opposition is because they have taken as theirs a big chunk of their neoliberal ideology in their past few years, one cannot identify Labour as left since it is far from what used to be years ago. As you say, the mandate is centre.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 18th Oct 20, 7:47pm 1603003641

I thought the reason Labour obliterated the opposition was because they skillfully used Covid-19 to their advantage , in instilling fear into the populence ... and demanding the " team of 5 million " obey their every command ..... we are a nation of sheep .... we dutifully obey what we're told , without question nor dissent ...

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 7:02pm 1603000957

100% agree. Anyone denying this is delusional.
Stay home. Stay safe. Could not watch the propaganda after a few minutes each day. Its funny talking to family in the US during lockdown they could not understand how obedient everyone here was. There immediate thoughts were people would get there guns out if that was implemented in US cities.....
Cindy use it to maximum advantage.

by PocketAces | 18th Oct 20, 7:03pm 1603000988

Wrong. We weren't afraid, we understood and did what we need to do and bugger me, it worked

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 7:09pm 1603001385

Haha.. the only thing people understood was - stay home or you'll be arrested. Note Clark (who has Diplo immunity) ignored that. It was a massive and costly overreaction

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 7:14pm 1603001678

But 80,000 were going to die.
They have never had a post mortem and shot Cindy's modeler who came up with that utter garbage.

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 7:18pm 1603001922

So would you rather be living in England right now or here OC?

I've got mates in England and they're downright jealous that we can move freely around.

All they've got is the worst of both worlds.

But you seem intent on bagging our situation no matter what happens unless it's a blue govt.

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 7:24pm 1603002284

I have close family in London and they are doing fine. They have no interest in coming to NZ. You are exaggerating. I have lots of family in the US and again they are doing fine. Two family members in the US had the covid and gave to one child. They are all good now.

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 7:39pm 1603003154

I was asking if they'd be rather be in 'our' situation or 'their' situation.

I'm guessing they don't work in a hospital if they think their situation is better than ours.

I've also had friends in HK that had it, kids also got it, they're all good now as well. But that's got nothing to do with the question I asked you...

by PocketAces | 18th Oct 20, 8:18pm 1603005538

That takes the cake for dumb comments

by AndrewRiddell5886 | 19th Oct 20, 1:13pm 1603066409

Oh, a thread of science denial.

by PocketAces | 18th Oct 20, 7:05pm 1603001120

Either the Nats get themselves out of the 1980s or rename themselves " fuddy duddy inc"

by Hook | 18th Oct 20, 7:11pm 1603001507

What? so they can compete with "hugs and cuddles Inc"

by muzled | 18th Oct 20, 7:19pm 1603001970

No, so they can compete in the next election...

by PocketAces | 18th Oct 20, 7:48pm 1603003710

No, so they can speak to and work with the issues of the people of the 21st century to whom the future belongs and not the (now) fuddies from the 80s

by OreoContrarian | 18th Oct 20, 7:18pm 1603001892

Bring forward Max Key to battle Cindy

by PocketAces | 18th Oct 20, 7:45pm 1603003544

It's not DJ of the year contest

by Malarkey | 19th Oct 20, 12:11am 1603019494

It’s a tough call but I’d have to say John Key’s ‘Lunn uff Tuhwuh’ uksunt is worse than Ardern’s, although these days it sounds to me as if EVERY Kiwi speaks while gargling pillows.
xD

by J.C. | 18th Oct 20, 7:27pm 1603002430

Jian Yang seems a distant memory for most NZers now (if they registered at all). How can anyone want a party who couldn't see an issue with this representative.

by Malarkey | 19th Oct 20, 12:12am 1603019552

Not to mention the Oravida scandal and the Collins’s cozy dinner with Donghua Liu, at which I’m sure no corruption was discussed.
lol

by Kate | 18th Oct 20, 10:27pm 1603013239

Turns out National only won the party vote in four electorates:

Epsom, Tāmaki, Taranaki-King Country and Waikato.

by Malarkey | 19th Oct 20, 12:07am 1603019233

Epsom you say? Well, I never.

by Nzdan | 19th Oct 20, 7:47am 1603046871

I thought Collins said she would resign if polling under 35%, that's the benchmarks he set herself earlier on this year??

by Fluffybunny | 19th Oct 20, 8:09am 1603048151

Was she joking when she said she wanted to stay on?

Did anyone check her eyebrows?

No one wants ming the merciless as our boss.