Podcast appearances and mentions of Michael Woodhouse

A former National staffer says diversity is an aspect of the Party's list ranking selections.Dunedin-based List MP Michael Woodhouse said 'diversity won' - and told the Otago Daily Times he lost a contest between diversity and experience. But he denies the paper's reports he also said being male cost him his spot. Former staffer Ben Thomas says there are several ways to get into caucus, and Woodhouse fit none. "The first one is to be part of his Cabinet considerations, the second one is to help with the diversity, and the third way is to win an electorate seat." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It pains me to say this, it really does, but unfortunately for Michael Woodhouse- diversity does matter in politics, as much as I hate that it does. I think Michael Woodhouse has been treated poorly. There are other white men who work less hard than him and should've been bumped down the National Party list instead. But he's been punished because he's not in right friendship group in National, and he's a bloke. That's really what it comes down to. Now, the Nats will try to avoid admitting that he's been punted down the list for being a bloke, because they know that heaps of their voters don't like this kind of diversity nonsense. But that's absolutely part of what's happened. Luxon's been banging on about the need for diversity since before the Tauranga by-election, where the spot to be National's candidate was fought over by four white men in suits. They got so much grief for that- so Luxon ramped up the calls. Now, of the top 30 on the National list- 15 are women, just like Labour. Six sitting male MPs have been dumped into insultingly low list positions in the 50s- Joseph Mooney, Scott Simpson, Stuart Smith, Tim van de Molen and a couple more who deserve to be further up. And way higher up the list at 20, 21, 22, 23 and 27, there are five women you've probably never heard of because they aren't in Parliament. That's very high on the list for newbies. Now, personally I hate this stuff. Because I would hate anyone to think that I got any breaks because I was a woman. But this is how it works in politics. And parties have to do this, they have to play the diversity game. And they have to play, because the media play. The media are obsessed with whether political parties or corporates or whoever have enough women or Maori or people of colour or members of the rainbow community. And if that is what the media care about, then that is what the media will writes stories and headlines about. And therefore, it becomes an easy way for opponents to attack a party. Just like National got attacked and got negative stories and negative headlines for having too many white men last year. And so the political parties, if they want to give themselves the greatest chance of winning an election, have got to neutralise any weak spots that can create negative headlines. So they have to play the diversity game. Look at the current parties in Parliament- every single one of them have a man, a woman and someone Maori in the top four.  This is the way it is, and this is the way it will be until we stop being fixated on gender and race. Until then, white men will be bumped down, like Michael Woodhouse. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Business Mentors NZ CEO Sarah Trotman joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! There's growing calls for David Seymour to apologise following his controversial comments about sending Guy Fawkes into the Ministry of Pacific Peoples after he seemingly doubled down. Should he apologise, or does ACT have bigger issues to worry about? National MP Michael Woodhouse says he lost out on a good list placing due to diversity. Was National right to prioritise an equal spread of men and women? How important is diversity for political parties?  The Taxpayers Union has called for an immediate end to parties for bureaucrats after the Department for Internal Affairs spent $16,000 on a welcome party- does this need to be reigned in?  The Australian Government is considering banning bosses from contacting their employees outside of working hours- unless they're getting paid for it. Could this work? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Woodhouse isn't angry, he's disappointed. He told the ODT he would have had a 45 percent chance of getting back in to Parliament, and says the National party gave precedence to diversity, rather than experience. But, he told Mike Hosking that he denies he ever said being male cost him a better spot. On Breakfast, National leader Chris Luxon dismissed allegations MPs were missing out on top rankings due to their gender. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party has revealed its list for the 2023 general election, and a former Minister has quit as a result. Michael Woodhouse, a senior minister under both John Key and Bill English, announced he'd be standing aside after the ranking he was offered showed he wouldn't be considered for ministerial roles, if elected. And while National is touting the diversity in the top 40, which features 21 women, that could be faux diversity with many lower ranking men in safe electorate seats. RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

As MPs count down to the election Parliament's mood changes. The Opposition's House leader Michael Woodhouse predicts "more anger, frivolity, perhaps less discipline". "Perhaps" seems generous.

Education Minister Jan Tinetti was forced to apologise to the House yesterday after the Privileges Committee found she'd misled Parliament due to "high degree of negligence".  But the committee found she was not guilty of contempt in failing to correct the record around school attendance. National's Michael Woodhouse says the episode is "particularly embarrassing" because it involves the Minister responsible for the future of New Zealand's children. He spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss this morning.

The Shadow Leader of the House, Michael Woodhouse, talks us through how questions are allocated and who gets to ask them on Question Time.

MPs voted today to congratulate Charles III on his coronation. But while noting the heir, thoughts of an alternative Head of State are not far away. Is it not just inevitable but timely? National's Michael Woodhouse on the Monarchy.

Parliament's Speaker has confirmed Meka Whaitiri will move to Te Pati Maori and legally remain a member of parliament as an independent. He's refused calls from the National Party and ACT for communications between Ms Whaitiri and the Speaker to be disclosed, but did explain that her message did not meet the definition requiring her to be expelled from Parliament. National's shadow leader of the house Michael Woodhouse has said Whaitiri has no moral authority to stay in her Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat. He spoke to Corin Dann.

The National Party says Meka Whaitiri's situation raises serious questions. Speaker Adrian Rurawhe made Whaitiri an Independent MP after she changed parties and he didn't invoke the waka jumping legislation. National Shadow Speaker of the House, Michael Woodhouse, says the Speaker's correspondence with Whaitiri, which led to his decision, should be released. Woodhouse says Whaitiri has no moral authority to stay in her Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat. "She should have done what Winston Peters did over 20 years ago- nearly 30 now- and Tariana Turei in 2004. Resigned and sought a new mandate." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament has a charming tendency to gift people with very odd job titles, like Shadow Leader of the House. Michael Woodhouse outlines what the job entails (and it's neither shade nor homes).

Pressure is mounting on the Government to fully scrap a provision entrenching parts of its Three Waters legislation. Constitutional experts say the provision, requiring 60-percent of MPs to change part of the law, would pave the way for governments to entrench other laws. Cabinet has agreed to refer the matter back to Parliament's cross-party Business Committee. But National's Michael Woodhouse told Mike Hosking that doesn't actually fix the situation. “It can't be fixed by the Business Committee, Labour have to agree to a motion to have that Bill sent back to that part of the Bill process, take those clauses out.” The Government was advised a year ago not to entrench the policy. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has become the country's latest bank manager. It's announced the Crown is buying Kiwi Group Holdings, the company that owns Kiwibank and the soon-to-be-sold Kiwi Wealth, from the Superannuation Fund, ACC and NZ Post. The government says it intends keeping a sensible distance between itself and the day-to-day running of its latest asset. So what does the opposition think? Michael Woodhouse is the National Party spokesperson for state-owned enterprises, he spoke to Corin Dann.

While in the UK Christopher Luxon "dunked" on NZ businesses by calling them "soft", NZ Herald's Hayden Munro wonders "What was he thinking?" A new report released by the Green Party found on average those living in shared flats spend 56% of their weekly income on rent alone. National's Michael Woodhouse joins us to talk on inflation after the announcement that NZ's is now at 7.3%

National finance spokesman Michael Woodhouse appears on the podcast today with Jordan for a detailed discussion about National's finance and tax policy.Support the show (http://www.taxpayers.org.nz/donate)

From insurance to virtual reality, Michael Woodhouse gives us his experience and story starting his Insurance company 'W Insurance Group' as well as his other company 'Paragon'. Michael covers some of his knowledge from the insurance industry as well as his experience trying to grow his business through marketing and branding. https://www.wgroupfl.com/ Get Connected! ➡ https://www.linkedin.com/in/businessinsurancepro/

National's finance spokesperson says there needs to be an honest conversation about taxpayer funded costs - including superannuation.A draft Treasury paper projects by 2061, Government debt could balloon to more than $2 trillion - or 177.3 percent of GDP.Jacinda Ardern, however, has ruled out lifting the super age from 65.National's Michael Woodhouse told Heather du Plessis-Allan we're on an unsustainable spending trajectory."Not having honest conversations about how we can moderate that does a disservice to our children and grandchildren."LISTEN ABOVE

The government's new 'clean car package' is intended to help decrease greenhouse gas emissions to meet a 2050 carbon neutral target but it has been labelled an unfair "car tax" in disguise by the National Party. Rebates will be introduced from next month for people who purchase newly-imported new and second hand electric vehicles, while there are extra fees on high emission vehicles. National Party transport spokesman Michael Woodhouse says his party will fight the move "every step of the way". He spoke to Philippa Tolley.

The Government's scheme for discounts for electric cars comes with a couple of fishhooks: it only applies to newly imported cars, and if the funding runs out the rebates scheme will be paused and cars bought during the pause will not qualify for a rebate.The scheme is designed so rebates on electric cars are funded from fees paid by people buying petrol cars.It provides for rebates of $8625 for a new electric car and $3450 for a used imported electric car. There are lower rebates for plug-in hybrids.The rebates are due to start from July 1 – but Waka Kotahi's website warns that if the funding for the scheme runs dry the rebates will be stopped until the funds are replenished."If, due to high demand, rebate funds are exhausted, Waka Kotahi will notify that the rebate window is closed and no discounts (rebates) will be offered during this time. Once we announce the scheme has restarted, only vehicles registered from the restart date will be eligible for rebates."While there are rebates for both new and used electric cars, they only apply to newly imported cars which are registered after July 1. They do not apply to electric cars which are already registered in New Zealand and being sold on.The rebates side of the "feebate" scheme starts in July, buyers of new or newly imported used petrol cars will only start facing fees from January next year.There is another reason to get in quick to get the full rebate under the scheme: for the first six months, a flat rebate will apply, giving the full $8,625 rebate for all new electric cars and $3450 for used. After that, the rebate will depend on emissions.A spokesman for Transport Minister Michael Wood said a Crown loan would cover the first six months of the scheme and the fees were expected to cover it from then on.The details of the fees scheme are yet to be finalised, but the Ministry of Transport has estimated those fees will raise $125m and $188m in 2022.Buyers of new petrol cars would pay a fee of up to $5875 while those buying newly imported used cars face fees of up to $2875.That fee would be based on emissions – the Ministry has said it would add $2,900 to the cost of a new Toyota Hilux, $1230 to a Kia Sportage, and $830 for a Nissan Navara.Wood and Climate Change Minister James Shaw set out the scheme on Sunday, saying it was a critical move to try to reduce New Zealand's transport emissions.It was aimed at lifting the use of electric cars in New Zealand, which Wood said was well behind other countries.The decision to charge fees for petrol car buyers has been criticised as unfair by Act and National, who say it is a "tax" on tradespeople and farmers who do not have options for electric vehicles.National's spokesman Michael Woodhouse has said National supports incentives for electric car buyers, but they should be measures such as tax benefits and road user charges exemptions."The people who benefit will be higher-income earners who now don't have to pay as much for a Tesla. We don't think it's fair to make tradies pay more for a Hilux so wealthy executives can get a discount on their next electric car."

In the Pod today: a recruiter wants more grunty part time work to suit mums; the government announces a subsidy for those wanting to buy an electric vehicle - National's Transport spokesperson Michael Woodhouse is not so keen; and a petition against a film about the Christchurch terrorist attacks gathers more than 50-thousand signatures.

The Government's scheme for discounts for electric cars comes with a couple of fishhooks: it only applies to newly imported cars, and if the funding runs out the rebates scheme will be paused and cars bought during the pause will not qualify for a rebate.The scheme is designed so rebates on electric cars are funded from fees paid by people buying petrol cars.It provides for rebates of $8625 for a new electric car and $3450 for a used imported electric car. There are lower rebates for plug-in hybrids.The rebates are due to start from July 1 – but Waka Kotahi's website warns that if the funding for the scheme runs dry the rebates will be stopped until the funds are replenished."If, due to high demand, rebate funds are exhausted, Waka Kotahi will notify that the rebate window is closed and no discounts (rebates) will be offered during this time. Once we announce the scheme has restarted, only vehicles registered from the restart date will be eligible for rebates."While there are rebates for both new and used electric cars, they only apply to newly imported cars which are registered after July 1. They do not apply to electric cars which are already registered in New Zealand and being sold on.The rebates side of the "feebate" scheme starts in July, buyers of new or newly imported used petrol cars will only start facing fees from January next year.There is another reason to get in quick to get the full rebate under the scheme: for the first six months, a flat rebate will apply, giving the full $8,625 rebate for all new electric cars and $3450 for used. After that, the rebate will depend on emissions.A spokesman for Transport Minister Michael Wood said a Crown loan would cover the first six months of the scheme and the fees were expected to cover it from then on.The details of the fees scheme are yet to be finalised, but the Ministry of Transport has estimated those fees will raise $125m and $188m in 2022.Buyers of new petrol cars would pay a fee of up to $5875 while those buying newly imported used cars face fees of up to $2875.That fee would be based on emissions – the Ministry has said it would add $2,900 to the cost of a new Toyota Hilux, $1230 to a Kia Sportage, and $830 for a Nissan Navara.Wood and Climate Change Minister James Shaw set out the scheme on Sunday, saying it was a critical move to try to reduce New Zealand's transport emissions.It was aimed at lifting the use of electric cars in New Zealand, which Wood said was well behind other countries.The decision to charge fees for petrol car buyers has been criticised as unfair by Act and National, who say it is a "tax" on tradespeople and farmers who do not have options for electric vehicles.National's spokesman Michael Woodhouse has said National supports incentives for electric car buyers, but they should be measures such as tax benefits and road user charges exemptions."The people who benefit will be higher-income earners who now don't have to pay as much for a Tesla. We don't think it's fair to make tradies pay more for a Hilux so wealthy executives can get a discount on their next electric car."

The government's new 'clean car package' is intended to help decrease greenhouse gas emissions to meet a 2050 carbon neutral target but it has been labelled an unfair "car tax" in disguise by the National Party. Rebates will be introduced from next month for people who purchase newly-imported new and second hand electric vehicles, while there are extra fees on high emission vehicles. National Party transport spokesman Michael Woodhouse says his party will fight the move "every step of the way". He spoke to Philippa Tolley.

The Opposition is claiming little ground was made in today's select committee meeting looking at Speaker Trevor Mallard's defamation case.Mallard wrongly accused a Parliamentary staffer of rape, and it cost taxpayers $330,000 legal costs.National MP Michael Woodhouse, who was at the select committee meeting, told Heather du Plessis-Allan timelines around complaints and interviews in March and April don't quite match up.He says this matter is bigger than politics."The select committee is a very important process for getting to the truth, and I'm not sure that we have." During the committee, it was revealed the taxpayer may not have heard the last of the legal bill. The head of Parliamentary Services Rafael Gonzalez-Montero confirmed to Woodhouse while being questioned that there is still a claim against Parliamentary Services.LISTEN ABOVE 

National Party finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says the government should not be raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour, especially not now. Woodhouse told Morning Report the wage increase comes at a time when other costs are being imposed on businesses as well. [audio_play] "It's not just minimum wage, its total cost of doing business including doubling sick leave, an extra public holiday, and the possibility of fair pay agreements going ahead will all act as a handbrake on businesses ability and willingness to employ more staff." He said the economy may be looking better than expected, but that does not mean it is in a good shape. "You described the HYEFU [Half Year Economic Fiscal Update] as more rosy I would say it's less dire."

Doesn’t our homegrown politics look all a bit boring and blasé when you’ve got such a volatile show unfolding in the US?Actually makes you grateful for our rather quiet way of life, I think.The most exciting it gets for us here at the moment is who may or may not make the cut in any given Caucus line up.And today it’s National’s turn to make a few leadership calls.Gerry Brownlee has done the right thing and bowed out.Actually Trump could take a leaf from his book in terms of how to just go gracefully.Not that he’s going going.. he’s just stepping aside from the Deputy role, and that’s the right thing to do.Current Caucus favourite apparently is Shane Reti, and Judith certainly seems keen on him. There was chatter Michael Woodhouse may tip his hat into the ring, but not if all the support was going to go Reti’s way.. which it sounds like it might. Others say Todd McLay’s in with a shot.. even Simon Bridges.As for the leadership question.. that isn’t really a question.. given who’d want that poisoned chalice right now and it sounds like Judith’s the only one putting her hand up for it anyway.Her continuing in the role is probably the right thing to do. She fought a tough campaign, she’s a tenacious scrapper who knows how to get back up and keep going, she has the mental fortitude to deflect and defend herself in the eye of media storms, she’s experienced, and she may have finally managed to tighten up the leaks and sookabubbas who spent most of the campaign whining and undermining.Though that remains to be seen..What we do know, is that portfolios will be switched around- can Paul Goldsmith possibly keep finance after his blunders?Who gets what will be important in regards to who they have to go up against in terms of holding the government to account.The media will obsessively ask about diversity of course, and no doubt compare that to the Labour party’s extremely diverse cabinet. But you can’t work with what you don’t have, and Collins is a believer in places awarded for merit, not quotas anyway. But the National party is looking down a long road of rebuilding and refreshing. It’s seen as tired and shabby and needs more than just a cosmetic tart-up, it needs a thorough overhaul .. not just in talent, but also direction.Will today’s tweaks be enough to salvage a distressed party? We’ll have to wait and see.  

Broadcast on Otago Access Radio www.oar.org.nz

Michael Woodhouse Interview by Jamie Green on Radio One 91fm Dunedin

Michael Woodhouse Interview by Jamie Green on Radio One 91fm Dunedin

Michael Woodhouse - National Party

Shane Jones says more than 13,000 people have been employed because of investments from the Provincial Growth Fund. He says a detailed stocktake shows the government has cracked the target of creating more than 10,000 jobs through the fund's investments. The opposition is accusing the Regional Economic Development Minister of being disingenuous over the number of jobs created. National Party spokesperson Michael Woodhouse told RNZ reporter Yvette McCullough the figures only show how many people have worked on a project - not how many jobs have actually been created.

National leader Judith Collins has already made ehr stamp on National - but will it be enough to win her the election?Collins was voted the party leader on Tuesday night after Todd Muller spectacularly quit after less than 60 days in the job.In her first week, Collins punished Michael Woodhouse for his part in the Boag/Walker privacy leak, brought Simon Bridges back onto the front bench, and announced a $31 billion infrastructure plan. Now she has slammed the door shut on the chances of reversing the decision not to work with New Zealand First, telling media it will be unlikely she'll work with Peters, because she isn't sure his party will be there after the election.But now Collins faces a battle to reverse the popularity of Jacinda Ardern and the Labour Government after their success with tackling Covid-19. Neale Jones and Irene Gardiner joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss what Collins will have to do to appeal to voters, the challenges she faces, and whether she should have ruled out NZ First or not.LISTEN ABOVE

National MPs will meet this morning to discuss changes in the party, which will include some a reshuffle of some portfolios, new leader Judith Collins says.The future of health spokesman Michael Woodhouse is in question, after Collins today refused to publicly say he would be keeping the job.Asked if he would continue in the health portfolio, Collins would not say – "there are still a few things to work out," she said.Woodhouse said yesterday that he had no plans to follow Todd Muller and step down."My focus is entirely on the next 10 weeks," he said.Collins is downplaying the significance of the changes, saying it would only affect herself, her new deputy leader Gerry Brownlee and "a few other people".Speaking to media this morning, Collins would not elaborate on who these "other people" would be.She has confirmed Paul Goldsmith will retain finance and that former leader Simon Bridges will continue in foreign affairs.Last week, National MP Hamish Walker was forced to resign after he outed himself as the leader of sensitive and personal Covid-19 information.As it turned out, Woodhouse had also received the same information from former party president Michelle Boag.Speaking to media this morning, Collins said she would be "talking to Michael today"."We'll be getting some information on that and then I'll be making a call," she told RNZ.She said she was taking the issue "quite seriously" and was "absolutely not at all comfortable" about the leaking of patients' details.If Collins decides to strip Woodhouse of health, Whangarei MP Shane Reti would be the most likely candidate to take his place.Reti – a medical doctor – has been heavily involved in National's health response and policies.Speaking to MediaWorks, Collins said National would now look at "some of the mild changes we need to make"."Gerry and I have now got other jobs to do and we need to shift a few portfolios around.National MP Michael Woodhouse arrives prior to a caucus meeting at Parliament on May 22, 2020 in Wellington. POOL"We also have to take into account that Nikki [Kaye] is back doing education in such a big way but also just to make sure we've got something available for Todd as well."Collins said the party will be having a discussion about whether or not Muller would be on the front bench.She has not yet spoken to Muller about this – "but I think we will certainly be wanting to talk to Todd about his options".But she said there wouldn't be many changes, given the election is only in a few weeks."I don't want people having to chop and change portfolios right before and election – I think that's a bit foolish."

With my new working life I now get to do news and talkback just one day a week on a Monday. This gives me a terrific chance to step back and look at the fuller news cycle rather than just the day by day cascade of stories that dominate the day but not necessarily the week.  It reminds you that a lot of stories that seemed so pressing at the time are often barely remembered past a month.So this time last Monday we were in the midst of a crisis in our quarantining. Escapees, a lack of testing amongst those released under compassionate grounds. The contact tracing app near to useless.  Add to that the appointment of Megan Woods as Minister of Isolation on June 19, and then the resignation of David Clark on July 2, and the weekend papers were full of opining on the SHAMBLES of our border security and primarily of the Government.One week later and a cursory investigation of the weekend’s papers and you’ll see the SHAMBLES now apparently belongs to the opposition.Southland brat Hamish Walker is no more after an extraordinarily ignorant release of confidential health information of those who have tested positive to Covid. The source of his leak, a former National Party President who obtained the information through her position as the head of a rescue helicopter trust and who should have known better. This was dumb dirty politics. Trying to lay the blame of security lapses on the government when in fact it belonged on the opposition. National took aim and shot itself in the foot.It has laid bare Todd Muller as a lightweight. He took days to make a decisive statement or action that should have taken seconds.It has laid bare Michael Woodhouse, who also had the information from Boag.  While his leader was flailing around trying to blame the government, Woodhouse knew all along where the information had come from.  A real candidate for Health Minister would have dobbed Boag in the moment she emailed him the details.Stop the rot was Andrea Vance’s editorial stance this weekend towards Muller.  He didn’t even seem to know there was rot.Meanwhile, Rio Tinto announced it would pull out of Tiwai Point. This has been obvious for a long time. Bill English signalled the end of government subsidisation four years ago.  The price of aluminium is not good. Rio Tinto has better options elsewhere and Meridian offered them a lot but that was still turned downYet the opposition lambasted the government for letting it happen.  If Muller knew his way around a balance sheet, then he’d know it was inevitable.  David Seymour also blamed the government even though he has long fought against corporate welfarism.  Even worse Seymour called the government student politicians.David needs to know that he is no better.  A bachelor of Electrical Engineering and a BA in Philosophy, then 5 years as a public policy analyst in Canada before entering politics.  He’s a career politician. He’s no better qualified in balance sheets and business than anyone in the government.And while this sideshow continues we have no community transmission and all the cases found recently have been found in the managed isolation, which while under pressure, is sign that it’s working.No matter your political persuasion, the last week seems to suggest that the Opposition is more interested in fighting the Government than it is in fighting Covid. That’s not a good look in my book. 

A political commentator says National's leader lacks political instincts.National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse told leader Todd Muller on Tuesday evening that he was also sent Covid patient data by Michelle Boag.Woodhouse confessed this morning he was sent four unsolicited emails from Boag between June 21 and 25 which contained patient details, but it was not the same information that was sent to disgraced MP Hamish Walker.A party spokeswoman said today Woodhouse told Muller this on Tuesday night.But the next day, Muller was specifically asked by reporters "have you checked with Woodhouse, specifically, whether he received that same information from Boag"."No," replied Muller and a reporter asked "why not?""It's very clear from our perspective there's a conversation that's occurred between Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker. We are confident from what we can see that the issue here relates to Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker."He said it wasn't accurate to say he didn't know whether other MPs in National had access to that information."We are confident from what we can see that the issue here relates to Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker ...You've heard very clearly from the participants that the issue was between Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker."At no point in yesterday's media stand-up did Muller mention that he knew Boag had sent Covid patient information to Woodhouse.Commentator Ben Thomas says the party leader should have been more up-front."Unfortunately probably reflects a lack of character judgement, which are not the sorts of things you want coming into an election."He told The Weekend Collective that National didn't capitalise on Labour's own mistakes - with David Clark's resignation as Health Minister not forgotten. 

A political commentator says National's leader lacks political instincts.National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse told leader Todd Muller on Tuesday evening that he was also sent Covid patient data by Michelle Boag.Woodhouse confessed this morning he was sent four unsolicited emails from Boag between June 21 and 25 which contained patient details, but it was not the same information that was sent to disgraced MP Hamish Walker.A party spokeswoman said today Woodhouse told Muller this on Tuesday night.But the next day, Muller was specifically asked by reporters "have you checked with Woodhouse, specifically, whether he received that same information from Boag"."No," replied Muller and a reporter asked "why not?""It's very clear from our perspective there's a conversation that's occurred between Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker. We are confident from what we can see that the issue here relates to Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker."He said it wasn't accurate to say he didn't know whether other MPs in National had access to that information."We are confident from what we can see that the issue here relates to Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker ...You've heard very clearly from the participants that the issue was between Michelle Boag and Hamish Walker."At no point in yesterday's media stand-up did Muller mention that he knew Boag had sent Covid patient information to Woodhouse.Commentator Ben Thomas says the party leader should have been more up-front."Unfortunately probably reflects a lack of character judgement, which are not the sorts of things you want coming into an election."He told The Weekend Collective that National didn't capitalise on Labour's own mistakes - with David Clark's resignation as Health Minister not forgotten. 

Senior National party MP Michael Woodhouse is the latest to be drawn into the Covid patient information leak that's already ended one MP's career after revealing he too was received leaked material from National party stalwart Michelle Boag.

Despite giving public assurances the case was closed, it turns out National Leader Todd Muller knew one of his frontbench MPs had also been leaked confidential Covid-19 patient data. MP Michael Woodhouse today confirmed he too was sent private patient details from former National Party president Michelle Boag. It comes after caucus colleague Hamish Walker's political career-ending reveal on Tuesday that he had been sent the information, which he passed to the media. Political reporter, Katie Scotcher, recaps today's twists and turns.

National Party MP and health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse talks to Kathryn Ryan about his actions pertaining to his receipt of four unsolicited emails from former National Party president Michelle Boag.

Outgoing MP Clare Curran says an image of a National MP posed with a toilet emblazoned with her face on it left her feeling "traumatised" and suffering from "humiliation".Curran announced last year she would not re-stand at this year's election, closing a 12-year career in Parliament.It came a year after she was removed from Cabinet and stripped of her open government portfolios after not disclosing a meeting with tech entrepreneur Derek Handley, set up using her personal email account.It was her second strike, after a similar omission in relation to a meeting with former Radio NZ boss Carol Hirschfeld earlier in 2018.The outgoing Labour MP has revealed the alleged dirty politics she said was targeted with, and the toll it took emotionally as her political career came tumbling down, in an interview published today on The Spinoff.The worst of it was in 2012, when she was sent photos from the National Party's Mainland Region conference, one showing fellow Dunedin-based MP, National's Michael Woodhouse, posed with a blue toilet seat with her face emblazoned on it.The seat was reportedly used as a trophy for a debating competition."I was so shocked when I saw it. I have never been able to speak of it publicly because I felt embarrassed. I still feel quite traumatised by it," she told The Spinoff."They were literally encouraging people to piss on me."Curran did not want to comment to the Herald.Woodhouse said: "To be honest I cannot really remember it, and I don't think an eight-year-old photo is a burning issue of the day," he said.Curran's political issues began shortly after the September 2017 election.From early November, the-then Broadcasting Minister began texting state-owned RNZ's head of content Carol Hirschfeld to arrange a meeting.That meeting took place at Wellington's Astoria Cafe in early December but Curran failed to disclose it in response to written questions from National's Melissa Lee.Hirschfeld lost her job after repeatedly telling her RNZ bosses, for unknown reasons, that it was a coincidental meeting.At the time, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stood by Curran, saying she had corrected the record, though it had taken two and a half months and she should have done it sooner.Curran also used her personal Gmail account to arrange a meeting with entrepreneur Derek Handley about the new government chief technology role that was going.The meeting with Handley, on February 27, 2018, was not diaried and Curran's own staff did not know about it.She again omitted to mention the meeting in answer to written questions, saying she simply forgot about it.She then gave a nightmare performance while answering questions in Parliament about the emails and meetings from Lee, stumbling through her responses and obviously under pressure."I was trying to answer honestly and I couldn't come up with the words and my mind went blank," she told The Spinoff of the impact of that moment.Curran resigned two days later.Lee told the Herald she felt for Curran, but denied there was a targeted National campaign against her."I know she has talked about some of this before, it can be difficult in Parliament, there are issues related to being a woman, and me personally as an ethnic minority."I do feel for her, what she had to go through with mental health issues, and I am glad she got help."But she still can't skirt around the fact this all happened as result of her incompetence, being a senior Cabinet minister, responsible for openness and transparency, and she herself could not set an example."There was no campaign against her, I was asking the questions, as is my duty as an opposition MP."Lee said she had been unaware of the toilet seat photo, and it would be "inappropriate" for her to comment, referring the Herald to Woodhouse. 

New Zealand has a new Health Minister this morning, less than three months out from a general election. David Clark is gone and Chris Hipkins, the Education minister, is his replacement. On the other side of the aisle is Michael Woodhouse, the National spokesperson for Health. He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says he stands by his decision to go public with a story of a homeless man sneaking into a managed isolation facility. The Ministry of Health has investigated the claims and found no evidence of the man and the minister in charge of managed isolation, Megan Woods, has written to Woodhouse to ask for proof. Woodhouse told Morning Report he was still talking to people about the story, but he doesn't regret going public with it, saying the government must think there is some truth to the claim too if they worked so hard to investigate it.  He speaks to Corin Dann.

The minister overseeing isolation facilities is challenging National MP Michael Woodhouse to prove his claim that a homeless man snuck into an isolation hotel and stayed there 14 days. The minister, Megan Woods, says she took the allegation very seriously. Woodhouse told political reporter Katie Scotcher he stands by his comment. Woods says she has written to Woodhouse requesting more information from him.

The government is continuing to push the National Party for proof that a homeless man snuck into an isolation hotel. National MP Michael Woodhouse has been standing by his comments that a man was able to stay at the hotel for 14 days despite not returning from overseas or needing to be isolated. But the Minister overseeing isolation facilities - Megan Woods - says no evidence of the breach has been found. National Party leader Todd Muller speaks to Corin Dann.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield is seeking to allay fears about catching Covid-19 from people in isolation in light of five confirmed cases in the past week in returnees in managed isolation or just having left isolation.It appears that fears of some residents living in 149 Stamford apartments about potential contact with returnees may have scuppered a new six-month deal the Stamford hotel had with the Government as an isolation facility.Hotel staff last night told some residents that they had been ordered to close the hotel and would be losing their jobs.The hotel and apartments have separate entrances, and the only shared space would have been the service lift and emergency exit.Two new Covid-19 cases were identified yesterday in a couple near the end of their 14 days in isolation at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Auckland, who had flown in from India on June 5 on a repatriation flight.They were tested as part of new routine testing on Day 3 and Day 12 of mandatory managed isolation for all arrivals.According to Bloomfield, they had no symptoms and have been transferred to a stricter quarantine facility at the Jet Park Hotel.Their positive result follows that of a returnee from Pakistan, confirmed on Thursday, and two sisters confirmed on Tuesday who had returned from Britain.They had been staying in the Novotel Ellerslie and after the death of their mother, were granted early release to drive to Wellington to comfort their father, but tested positive in Wellington.In a stricter testing regime, everyone at the hotels where the recent cases had been staying and everyone on their flights were now being tested.Bloomfield said cases were always expected as more New Zealanders returned home.Before routine testing was announced on June 9, a total of 35 people in managed isolation or quarantine had been confirmed as having had it. But he stressed that the cases had been expected as returnees increased and there was no evidence it had been spread within facilities.From the beginning of April when managed isolation started "we have not seen any further infections as a result of people in managed isolation either within the facilities or once they have left the facilities"."Our procedures are good."He said there was not a risk of infection of Covid-19 from a fleetingly interaction or walking past someone with it."You can take a photo which might show people passing each other. It doesn't mean there is a risk or it meets the definition of potential close contact."But those procedures were being audited to make sure they were "rock solid".The new head of managed isolation and quarantine, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, also moved to reassure the public about the safety procedures after a week of bad publicity about apparent lax rules.He set out all the procedures of getting the couple who were confirmed yesterday from their managed isolation hotel to the quarantine hotel – using a dedicated vehicle, driver and assistance in PPE gear, and their former room sealed for 10 days then given a deep clean.He said last night there had been no decision yet on whether to use the Stamford Plaza hotel and that it was still being assessed.However the Herald has learned that residents were told on Friday that the hotel would be an isolation facility for up to six months by order of the Ministry of Health.Local MP and National deputy leader Nikki Kaye has got involved and is planning to meet residents today with health spokesman Michael Woodhouse.Bloomfield also said that there should be no stigma attached to people with Covid-19."It is a virus that does not discriminate."Because New Zealand had such a small number of cases, those who did test positive received a lot of attention."Please remember it could be your relative, mother, brother or sister or father or it could be a friend who has returned home. Please be compassionate and kind."We are in this together." 

Health authorities are scrambling to identify people deemed to be close contacts with two confirmed Covid-19 cases. Two sisters travelling from Britain were allowed to drive from Auckland to Wellington after 6 days in managed isolation, without being tested. They have now tested positive. Answers are being sought on how many of the almost two hundred people also released early from isolation on compassionate grounds were tested for the disease before they left. National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The government is facing a fierce backlash after the bungled quarantine of two returning New Zealand citizens - including calls for the Health Minister to resign. The Prime Minister has announced she has brought in the military to manage quarantine and isolation facilities, with the option of bringing in troops if necessary. Nine days after arriving from Britain, the two women were allowed to leave their Auckland hotel - without being tested - and travel to Wellington because one of their parents had died. Both have since tested positive for the virus - the first new cases in 25 days. Also on Wednesday a bombshell allegation in Parliament from the National Party, challenging the official line that the two women came into close contact with no other person during the journey from Auckland to Wellington. RNZ political editor Jane Patterson filed this report.

Two women who have tested positive for Covid-19 got lost on their drive from Auckland to Wellington and required help - giving their helpers a "kiss and a cuddle", Parliament has been told.National MP Michael Woodhouse claimed today that the pair, who travelled from London to New Zealand, had to meet someone for help with directions.He said a source told him the two women were in a borrowed car and got lost on their way from Auckland to Wellington so stopped and asked someone for directions.The women thanked their helper with a "kiss and a cuddle", Woodhouse claimed in the House.Health Minister David Clark replied to Woodhouse's claim by saying he would be "deeply concerned" if that were the case as he had been assured the women had no contact with anyone during their journey.Woodhouse: Who gave the women the car?Speaking to reporters later, Woodhouse said: "Last night I received information from a reliable but confidential source that the story of an uninterrupted trip from Auckland to Wellington was not accurate."The pair had become lost as they tried to leave Auckland, he reiterated."They called on some acquaintances for help with directions. When they were there, there was close physical contact, including a cuddle and a kiss."I'm calling on [Health] Minister to require the director general [of health Ashley Bloomfield] to look deeper into the circumstances of that journey, and reassure himself he's got all the facts."He said the source was "very reliable" and "closely connected".But there was a time to protect sources, so he was not going to divulge who it was.He said his information was reliable enough to ask questions about how they got their vehicle, which he said was borrowed, whether they stopped on the outskirts of Auckland, and whether they drove to Wellington without stopping for fuel or food or a toilet break.It seemed unlikely that the women had driven from Auckland to Wellington without any comfort stops, he added.He wasn't defaming anyone as he didn't know who the women were, he said.The story that health chief Ashley Bloomfield had told may not be as it has been portrayed, he said.He was not calling the women liars, he said, but he was asking the Health Ministry to dive deeper into whether the narrative that had been provided was accurate."I'm not saying anybody lied. I'm saying there needs to be a deeper analysis."NZ First leader Winston Peters said if the claims were true, it would be "serious concerning", but if not, Woodhouse was playing "petty politics" and he should apologise.When asked if heads should roll over the border failures, Peters said: "Of course – the three people who didn't do their job. They need to be found and they need to be held accountable."He later said when asked which three people he meant: "Everyone needs to be held accountable, particularly on an issue to do with public safely like this."He said neither David Clark nor Ashley Bloomfield should step down, and it was "plain ridiculous" to call for the head of a minister whenever something goes wrong in their ministry.

There're still conflicting views on what sisters who have Covid-19 did on their trip from Auckland to Wellington. It's now emerged the two women did, as National MP Michael Woodhouse said, have contact with two friends as they were leaving Auckland. Director general of Health Ashley Bloomfield says they did not kiss and cuddle them after they helped them navigate their way out of the city. Michael Woodhouse stood by his story when he spoke to us earlier.  Behind all this is criticism of how people coming into the country are isolated and a lack of clarity over compassionate leave from that isolation. Jane Patterson is RNZ's Political Editor.

Staggeringly incompetent.That's how the National Party is describing the fact two women tested positive for Covid-19 following being granted a compassionate exemption after their parent died in Wellington.National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse told Kate Hawkesby the women were meant to be tested on arrival, in isolation for seven days, then tested before they left."It doesn't appear any of those things have been done. The protocols are there, they're just not being followed."Woodhouse says Clark has been evading the question of who's responsible and disengaged from a ministerial portfolio he knows he's not going to hold in three months."David Clark has done enough to warrant someone else coming in there and fixing this mess. The Minister doesn't appear capable of handling the portfolio or interested in it."LISTEN ABOVE

Contact tracing is critical to New Zealand's ability to combat any further outbreaks of Covid-19, but is two weeks too late to wait for an app that will assist with that? National's health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says it is, and that it calls into question an assertion by Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield that the country's contact tracing is "gold standard".

The National Party says the country's contact tracing of positive Covid-19 cases is still not up to scratch. It says that the Minister of Health does not have crucial data about potential virus carriers. National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse speaks to Philippa Tolley.

Hon Michael Woodhouse - Oppositition Spokeman on Health

Public health workers in this country are today swinging into action meeting flights from mainland China.Passengers will be checked for any signs of coronavirus.Health Minister David Clark says health officials are active and alert - but not alarmed.So far 56 people have died in China, with thousands more infected.National is backing extra precautions for incoming passengers from China.Health spokesman Michael Woodhouse told Tim Dower visitors need to know what to do, if they develop symptoms of the disease."The important thing is for people, whether or not they are symptomatic, get the best information and advice about what to do if they become unwell while they are here." 

The financial situation for New Zealand's District Health Boards is continuing to deteriorate, with newly released data showing all but one are in the red.And the overall position is expected to get worst too, with the Ministry of Health forecasting an end of financial year deficit of more than half a billion dollars.The combined deficit for all 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) stands at $103 million as of August last year – according to the latest data available.That's $20 million higher than the reported deficit at the same time the year prior.The Ministry of Health (MoH) published the data in the first week of this month.National's Health spokesman Michael Woodhouse said the data was "quietly released" by the MoH over the summer period so the numbers would get little attention.He has accused Health Minister David Clark of putting DHBs in a perilous financial position through "sheer incompetence"."David Clark has shown little appetite or ability to remedy the situation. He's out of his depth and he knows it, which is why he quietly released the data online over the summer period."The August numbers are the first tranche to be released from the 2019/20 financial year.As well as showing the $103 million deficit, the numbers also show that the MoH expects the overall DHB deficit to be $534 million by June this year.At $23 million in the red, Canterbury DHB has the highest deficit, followed by Waikato with $15 million then Auckland at $10 million.South Canterbury, the only DHB with a surplus, was $1 million in the black.In the year to June 2019, DHBs reported an overall $1.1 billion deficit.The DHBs' financial performance came under intense scrutiny as the deficit deepened.Last year, the Herald revealed the Government was forced to pour extra emergency money into the DHBs after being warned hospital workers' pay could be affected without a bailout.Information, released under the Official Information Act, revealed the Government had spent and extra $368 million more than it had expected on topping up DHB funding.In December last year, the Government revealed it had enlisted the aid of former Ministers, chief executives, top-ranking officials and mayors to help get the country's embattled DHBs back on a firmer financial footing.Former Finance Minister, and Tax Working Group chairman Sir Michael Cullen, was among 76 new District Health Board (DHB) chairpersons or board members.

Hon Michael Woodhouse

Our spies issued a warning this week on election interference, and foreign donations – we ask what it will take to protect our democracy in 2020? A Waitangi Tribunal report recommended this week that Maori have their water rights recognised and maybe receive compensation – we ask the Maori Council what that would mean for Kiwis access to this crucial resource. And she's a mother of five with a fashion business and a chemical engineering degree. Meet new National MP Agnes Loheni. Plus on the pitch...as the Government prepares to announce its national cancer strategy, National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse gets five minutes to explain what he would do in Government.And we are joined by our panel – Politics Professor at Auckland University, Jennifer Curtin, Head of Business at NZME, Fran O'Sullivan and Chair of Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait.

Will the Government’s proposed rules improve access to medical cannabis - or will only the rich get relief? We ask Green Party spokesperson for drug law reform Chloe Swarbrick and National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse if the Government has got it right.Then, the voice of experience - Europe's pre-eminent medicinal cannabis expert, Professor Michael Barnes - tells our GPs to urgently prepare for the green rush.Plus, pressure has been building for the agriculture industry to reduce emissions. John-Michael Swannix visits a farm taking up the challenge.And which MP is a former sole parent and a petrol head who rescues battery hens? You might be surprised.As always we are joined by our panel to address the news of the week: Media commentator and journalist Russell Brown, head of equity and Māori health outcomes at ProCare Dr Lance Norman, and former United Future leader Peter Dunne.www.newshub.co.nz/podcasts

Federated Farmers is backing a proposal by National that hopes to fix our skills shortage in the primary sector.The Opposition is calling for a primary sector visa, as well as an extension to the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme.National's Immigration Spokesperson Michael Woodhouse told Kate Hawkesby the visa wasn't necessary when they were in power."When we came to government, there was both a recession and PSA issue, which meant the labour demand wasn't as blunted as it is now."However, Michael Woodhouse says when labour demand surged back in 2013, National did increase The Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme."The labour demand is not going away and the labor is simply not there for them."While we would like to see every single unemployed New Zealander have a job, the reality is we are going to have to continue relying on the international labour market."

The National Party says the situation at the country's District Health Boards is not sustainable and something has to give.Eight out of the 20 DHBs have yet to sign off their annual spending plans for this year.The books aren't looking great in Canterbury especially, where the DHB is expecting a $100 million deficit.National's health spokesman Michael Woodhouse told Kate Hawkesby the public should have an expectation all public entities work within their means."The fact that not only Canterbury, but a significant number of the DHBs are now blowing out financially is a serious concern.""There are certainly ways in which the services can be deployed that are more efficient than the model that we have got," he said."The question for the Government is whether or not they are willing to spend a lot of time and effort reforming that."He said it is still unclear how much worse the budget blowouts could get."We don't know how much worse it is going to get because the Minister [David Clark] is not telling us.""Normally financial data for each month of the year is put up on the Ministry of Health website [but] that hasn't been updated since June last year, so we are really flying blind."Eight of the 20 DHBs still do not have an approved plan which is a real concern, Woodhouse said."We just don't know where they are at...I'm guessing over $0.5 billion by now [but] it could be worse."He said it's not sustainable and something eventually has to give.

Reality Winner - an NSA whistle-blower - was sentenced to five years in prison in the USA last week. Closer to home the hunt for the "Limogate" leaker remained in the headlines, and National Party immigration spokesperson Michael Woodhouse called for Chelsea Manning - of Cablegate fame - to be barred from New Zealand. Mediawatch's Jeremy Rose talks to long-time political reporter Brent Edwards who argues sometimes it's in the public interest for journalists to say no to leaks.

Reality Winner - an NSA whistle-blower - was sentenced to five years in prison in the USA last week. Closer to home the hunt for the "Limogate" leaker remained in the headlines, and National Party immigration spokesperson Michael Woodhouse called for Chelsea Manning - of Cablegate fame - to be barred from New Zealand. Mediawatch's Jeremy Rose talks to long-time political reporter Brent Edwards who argues sometimes it's in the public interest for journalists to say no to leaks.

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.

'The Public Square' is a public forum organised and hosted by the Centre for Theology and Public Issues where a panel of experts discuss current affairs. December 2011. The panelists this time are: Clare Curran; Shane Gallagher; Janine Hayward; and Michael Woodhouse.