Simon Bridges says 'no evidence' one of his MPs called Jacinda Ardern 'stupid little girl'
National leader Simon Bridges says he has "no evidence" any of his MPs called the prime minister a "stupid little girl".
During a rowdy Question Time in early May Speaker Trevor Mallard paused proceedings to ask whichever member had "made an unparliamentary reference to the prime minister" to withdraw and apologise.
He said it was someone behind Bridges - meaning a National MP - who made a "very sexist remark". Mallard said he would review the tapes and work out who it was.
The Speaker has confirmed that he heard the phrase "stupid little girl" lobbed at the prime minister, as was reported by Newshub.
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But Bridges said he didn't hear the remark and he hasn't been able to find anyone who said they have on the record.
"Those sort of remarks shouldn't be said. But I have no evidence whatsoever that they were," Bridges said.
He noted that the speaker himself called Stuart Nash a "naughty child" recently, and name-calling was commonplace in politics.
"In the cut and thrust of politics, we've had a few names called at us as well, if these words were even said, and I have nothing to suggest they were.
"I sit nearer to those members than the speaker or the other side, I didn't hear them, no one has told me that they heard them, and no one has said that they said them."
He described the situation as "at one level a petty little bit of muckraking".
Bridges had discussed the issue informally with a few of the MPs that Newshub suspected were behind it.
Based on their position in the house Newshub suspected Jami-Lee Ross, Matt Doocey, David Bennett, Gerry Brownlee, Nick Smith, Paul Goldsmith, David Carter, Jonathan Young, Chris Finlayson, and Simon O'Connor.
They all denied making the comment.
A spokeswoman for the Speaker's office said that he had reviewed the tapes but could not clearly hear it. He stood by hearing it in the House however, despite Bridges' assertion.
Ardern said she did not "explicitly" hear the remark but noted it was very loud that day.
"Plenty of this stuff flies around the house," Ardern said.
A snap poll of Stuff's political team found three reporters could not hear the remark at all, while two could hear something like "stupid little girl" - but couldn't be sure this wasn't something else.
Clerk of the House David Wilson reviewed the Hansard audio feed, which is slightly different to the one that goes to Parliament TV, at Stuff's request.
"There are several members interjecting at once. The comment is no more distinct than in the public footage," Wilson said.
"The audio and recording system only picks up what is said into live microphones, which in this case would be the Speaker's or the Prime Minister's. So they don't necessarily get every comment or interjection that is made."
During Question Time on Wednesday the Speaker upbraided NZ First MP for another "sexist remark" - more clearly heard this time - after Mark said "settle pettle" to National's Amy Adams.
National's Chris Finlayson - who is gay - recalled a 2011 incident when Mallard yelled "tinkerbell" at him from across the House.
"No one took any steps to prevent those comments being made."
Stuff