IT'S MIDDAY. CHAOS IN THE NATIONAL CAUCUS. HAS A SHOCK DEMOTION LED TO A LEADERSHIP MOVE IN THE OPPOSITION? AUCKLAND MARKS 100 DAYS IN LOCKDOWN. WHY SOME CELEBRATED BY PRIMPING AND PRIMING THREE MONTHS' WORTH OF LOCKDOWN LOCKS. AND TRAGEDY ON THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. MORE THAN 30 MIGRANTS LOSE THEIR LIVES AS THEIR BOAT CAPSIZES CROSSING FROM FRANCE. CAPTIONS BY JORDAN WAETFORD AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 THE NATIONAL PARTY'S STILL IN AN URGENT CAUCUS MEETING AFTER JUDITH COLLINS DEMOTED SIMON BRIDGES LATE LAST NIGHT OVER AN ALLEGATION OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT. SOME MPs HAVE CALLED FOR COLLINS TO RESIGN, AND ITS UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE PARTY IS A KEY FOCUS AT THE MEETING. 1 NEWS REPORTER ABBEY WAKEFIELD IS AT PARLIAMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON, ABBEY. WHAT'S THE LATEST? GOOD AFTERNOON. WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS OF THIS NOW THREE HOUR-LONG NATIONAL PARTY CAUCUS MEETING. IT'S BEEN A VERY EVENTFUL DAY HERE IN PARLIAMENT AND IT ALL STARTED LAST NIGHT WE NATIONAL PARTY LEADER JUDITH COLLINS SENT OUT A PRESS RELEASE SAYING SHE HAD DEMOTED SIMON BRIDGES AND STRIPPED HIM OF HIS PORTFOLIOS. SHE SAYS THIS IS BECAUSE AN ALLEGATION OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT INVOLVING A COMMENT OF SEXUAL NATURE. WE UNDERSTAND THIS COMMENT WAS MADE IN THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER NATIONAL MP FIVE YEARS AGO. SIMON BRIDGES IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE SITUATION. HE HELD HIS OWN PRESS CONFERENCE AROUND 7 AM THIS MORNING, CALLING JUDITH COLIN'S DESPERATE. I THINK IT SHOWS, ACTUALLY, THAT SHE'LL GO TO ANY LENGTH TO HOLD ON TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AND HOW WRONG IT WAS, AND I ASSURE YOU I WILL, BUT I WANT TO TALK TO MY CAUCUS FIRST AND BE VERY CLEAR WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN. AND, ABBEY, WHAT'S BEEN THE REACTION FROM SOME OF THE OTHER MPs IN NATIONAL? WE TRY TO SPEAK TO NATIONAL MP IS ARRIVING TO PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING. A LOT OF THEM REFUSE TO COMMENT BUT ONE MP SIMON O'CONNOR SAID COLLINS NEEDS TO RESIGN AND THAT HE HAS HANDED IN HIS PORTFOLIOS THIS MORNING. PEACEABLY WILL NOT WORK WITH HER. WE HAVE HAD A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY THERE. AS I SAID, THE MEETING HAS GONE FOR THREE HOURS NOW. NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, OUR NEWS TEAM AT 6 PM AND ONLINE WILL KEEP ACROSS DEVELOPMENTS. AND OF COURSE WE WILL CROSS LIFE SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. TODAY MARKS AUCKLAND'S 100TH DAY IN LOCKDOWN. SINCE THE FIRST CASE OF THE OUTBREAK WAS DETECTED IN AUGUST, 7484 CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. 5009 ARE STILL CONSIDERED ACTIVE. 87 CASES ARE IN HOSPITAL, 8 IN INTENSIVE CARE. IN TOTAL, MORE THAN 7.3 MILLION DOSES OF THE COVID VACCINE HAVE NOW BEEN ADMINISTERED. JUST UNDER 19,000 DOSES WERE GIVEN YESTERDAY, 12 THOUSAND OF THEM SECOND DOSES. 84% OF THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION IS NOW FULLY VACCINATED, AND 92% HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE DOSE. THE SCISSORS AND CLIPPERS ARE RUNNING HOT IN AUCKLAND TODAY, HAIRDRESSERS REOPENING TO TACKLE THREE MONTHS' WORTH OF LOCKDOWN LOCKS. THEY'RE THE FIRST SECTOR TO TRIAL VACCINATION PASSES BEFORE THEY BECOME WIDELY USED WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM KICKS IN NEXT WEEK. LARISSA HOWIE HAS THE STORY. A LONG LOCKDOWN... MAKES FOR SOME VERY LONG LOCKS. THERE'S SOME PRETTY ROUGH MOMENTS WE NEED TO TIDY UP THIS WEEK, AND WE'RE READY. THE TOOLS ARE SHARP AND WE'RE READY. IT FEELS AMAZING. I FEEL HUMAN AGAIN. IT'S GREAT. IT WAS GETTING LONG AND OUT OF CONTROL. AND FOR THIS AUCKLAND BARBER, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE HAIR. IT'S THE RITUAL OF SITTING, SHARING, TALKING. ALL OF THAT DOES A LOT, NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE'S SELF IMAGE, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. HE SAYS GETTING HIS CENTRAL AUCKLAND BUSINESS PREPPED TO WELCOME CUSTOMERS BACK HAS BEEN STRESSFUL. I HARDLY SLEPT LAST NIGHT BECAUSE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS, BUT NOT CHRISTMAS. 'COURSE, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. BUT THERE'S PROTOCOL IN PLACE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE, INCLUDING THE TRIALLING OF VACCINATION PASSPORTS. HIGHER STERILISATION OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT, WIPING DOWN IN BETWEEN CLIENTS AS WELL. THINGS THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO. WHILE BARBERS AND HAIRDRESSERS ARE USED TO SOME COVID PROTOCOLS, PASSES ARE NEW SO PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO PROVE THEY'VE BEEN JABBED BEFORE COMING IN. NO HICCUPS SO FAR. WE'RE HOPING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO GET IT RIGHT SO WE CAN GET ON WITH OUR DAILY LIVES. AND AS FOR THE HAIRDRESSER CHIT-CHAT AUCKLANDERS HAVE GONE WITHOUT... WE'D LIKE NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE OBVIOUS 20 TIMES A DAY, BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE GOING ON AT THE MOMENT. JUST BE YOURSELF. WE'VE GOT BIG SHOULDERS. WE CAN CARRY IT. A LONG HAUL AHEAD. WORKING 7 TILL 7, THAT'S NOT NORMAL YET. IT'S NICE TO DO THE THINGS WE USED TO DO TO FEEL NORMAL. THE CITY SLOWLY HEADING TOWARDS NORMAL, ONE HAIR CUT AT A TIME. LARISSA HOWIE, 1 NEWS. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION SAYS EUROPE IS ONCE AGAIN 'THE CENTRE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.' MORE THAN 60% OF THE WORLD'S COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS OVER THE LAST WEEK WERE IN EUROPE. IT COMES AS THE NETHERLANDS HINTS TIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS COULD BE ANNOUNCED; THE COUNTRY RECORDING MORE THAN 23,000 NEW CASES IN THE LAST DAY. IT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER THE COUNTRY'S SEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. WHILE GERMANY DEALS WITH ITS OWN COVID SURGE, THE MERKEL ERA WILL OFFICIALLY COME TO AN END. A THREE-PARTY COALITION HAS BEEN FORMED TO TAKE POWER ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER OLAF SCHOLZ'S SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY CAME OUT ON TOP OF FEDERAL ELECTIONS, BUT WITHOUT A MAJORITY. THE COALITION WITH THE GREENS AND THE BUSINESS-FRIENDLY FREE DEMOCRATS HAS PROMISED BROAD PLANS FOR GERMANY'S TRANSITION TO A GREEN ECONOMY. IT BRINGS AN END TO 16 YEARS OF GOVERNMENT LED BY ANGELA MERKEL. 31 MIGRANTS HAVE DIED AFTER THEIR BOAT CAPSIZED IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. THEY WERE HEADING FOR THE UK AFTER SETTING OFF FROM THE NORTHERN FRENCH CITY OF CALAIS. FRENCH AND BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A RESCUE OPERATION FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BBC CORRESPONDENT LUCY WILLIAMSON IS IN CALAIS WITH THE LATEST. (CLAMOURING) THIS IS A TRAGEDY THAT BEGAN WITH HOPE. WHERE ARE YOU GOING NOW? THE UK. THE UK. THE WATER NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF YET. SEVERAL BOATS SET OFF FROM THIS COAST AT FIRST LIGHT THIS MORNING. THIS ONE REACHED BRITISH SHORES WITHOUT DISASTER. BUT A FLIMSY BOAT, DOZENS OF DESPERATE PEOPLE ` THE WARNING SIGNS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. AND TODAY, ONE OF THESE BOATS NEVER ARRIVED. (SPEAKS FRENCH) TRANSLATOR: AS FAR AS WE KNOW, 33 PEOPLE CAPSIZED OFF DUNKIRK AND CALAIS. AS OF NOW, 31 PEOPLE DIED OR WERE NOT RESUSCITATED, AND THERE ARE TWO SURVIVORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY BEING TREATED AND WHOSE LIVES ARE ALSO UNFORTUNATELY IN DANGER. A LOCAL FISHERMAN SPOTTED THE PASSENGERS FLOATING MOTIONLESS IN THE WATER. HELICOPTERS AND BOATS WERE SCRAMBLED TO THE SCENE FOR A RESCUE OPERATION, BUT MANY HAD ALREADY DROWNED. THIS DISASTER UNDERSCORES HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO CROSS THE CHANNEL IN THIS WAY, AND IT ALSO SHOWS HOW VITAL IT IS THAT WE NOW STEP UP OUR EFFORTS TO BREAK THE BUSINESS MODEL OF THE GANGSTERS WHO ARE SENDING PEOPLE TO SEA IN THIS WAY. THIS WAS THE FEAR THAT HUNG OVER ALL THE POLITICS, ALL THE DEBATES. INSIDE THIS HOSPITAL TONIGHT, MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DECLARED DEAD. TWO OTHERS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. THE CROSSING SEASON THIS YEAR HAS STRETCHED WELL INTO THE WINTER WEATHER. IT'S A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS FOR THE PEOPLE SMUGGLERS, BUT IT'S MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO'VE PAID THE PRICE. BUT PEOPLE HERE IN THIS CALAIS MIGRANT CAMP ARE SO DETERMINED TO REACH THE UK THAT NO ONE WE MET TONIGHT SAID THEY CHANGED THEIR PLANS. O'DEA TRIED CROSSING YESTERDAY, BUT GAVE UP BECAUSE THE WAVES WERE TOO HIGH. FRANCE'S COASTLINE HAS NEVER BEEN AS SIMPLE TO SECURE AS THE EUROTUNNEL OR THE CALAIS PORT. SMUGGLERS HAVE MADE THE MOST OF THAT. THESE PEOPLE ARE MIGRANTS AND THE POOR MIGRANTS WHO HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THEIR COUNTRY WILL SPEND MONTHS AND MONTHS TO COME TO HERE. THEN WHERE THEY ARE SO CLOSE TO THEIR DREAM. MANY MORE MIGRANTS ARRIVED IN THE UK TODAY. GOOD PUBLICITY FOR THE PEOPLE SMUGGLING RINGS. BUT IT OFTEN TAKES MANY ATTEMPTS, AND THOSE WHO HAVE CAPSIZED BEFORE HAVE TOLD ME WHAT IT'S LIKE WAITING IN THE WATER FOR HELP TO ARRIVE. ONE THOUGHT IN THEIR MINDS AS THE MINUTES TICKED BY ` WHAT IF IT DOESN'T GET HERE IN TIME? ALL THREE MEN CHARGED WITH THE KILLING OF AHMAUD ARBERY IN THE U.S. HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER. THE 25-YEAR-OLD WAS JOGGING IN THE CITY OF BRUNSWICK IN GEORGIA WHEN HE WAS FATALLY SHOT IN 2020, SPARKING NATIONAL OUTRAGE AFTER A VIDEO OF HIS SHOOTING WAS MADE PUBLIC. THE ABC'S MORGAN NORWOOD REPORTS. IN THE CASE AT THE CENTRE OF A NATIONWIDE OUTCRY FOR RACIAL JUSTICE, THE JURY REACHING A VERDICT IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF THE THREE WHITE MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING AHMAUD ARBERY, AN UNARMED BLACK MAN. WE, THE JURY, FIND THE DEFENDANT, TRAVIS MCMICHAEL, GUILTY. WE, THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDANT, GREG MCMICHAEL, GUILTY. WE, THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDANT, WILLIAM R BRYAN, GUILTY. TRAVIS MCMICHAEL GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES. GREGORY MCMICHAEL WAS NOT GUILTY OF MALICE MURDER, BUT GUILTY ON ALL OF THE OTHER CHARGES. WILLIAM RODDIE BRYAN JR. IS NOT GUILTY OF MALICE MURDER AND ONE OF THE FELONY MURDER CHARGES, BUT GUILTY ON THREE OTHER CHARGES ALONG WITH ASSAULT. OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE CLAPPING AND WE ARE CHEERING AND WE APPLAUD, WANDA AND MARCUS STILL ARE DEVASTATED BECAUSE THEY ARE MISSING AHMAUD. YES. FOR WEEKS, THE JURY HEARING TESTIMONY AND WATCHING THE DRAMATIC CELL PHONE VIDEO AT THE CENTRE OF THIS CASE. HOURS INTO DELIBERATIONS, THE JURY ASKING TO VIEW THAT VIDEO AGAIN. AT THE HEART OF THE TRIAL, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TRAVIS AND GREGORY MCMICHAEL, ALONG WITH WILLIAM RODDIE BRYAN JR, ACTED IN SELF-DEFENCE UNDER A NOW REPEALED GEORGIA CITIZEN'S ARREST LAW. THE PROSECUTION ARGUING AGAINST THAT NOTION, SAYING THE THREE WERE THE AGGRESSORS AND WENT AFTER ARBERY BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK, ASSUMING HE WAS A THIEF, THOUGH POLICE SAY HE NEVER TOOK ANYTHING. THE FAMILY OF AHMAUD ARBERY AND DURING THE TRIAL PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH, HEARING AND WATCHING ARBERY'S FINAL MOMENTS AS THEY PLAYED BEFORE JURY. WITH THE VERDICT NOW IN, THEY NOW BEGIN THE JOURNEY TO HEALING. WE HAVE NOTICED A BIT OF COMMOTION BACK IN PARLIAMENT. WE TAKE YOU BACK THERE NOW TO SOME LIVE SHOTS WHERE NATIONAL MPS COULD BE ON THEIR WAY FROM THE CAUCUS. THEY CALLED THE MEETING THIS MORNING AFTER JUDITH COLLINS DEMOTED SIMON BRIDGES OVER AN ALLEGED INCIDENT FIVE YEARS AGO WHERE HE IS SAID TO HAVE MADE REMARKS. WE CAN SEE THEY HAVE HAD THEIR CAUCUS MEETING THIS MORNING. WE DID HEAR FROM BRIDGES THIS MORNING AT AROUND 7 AM WHEN HE CALLED COLLINS AS A DEMOTION OF HIM DESPERATE. O'CONNOR ALSO CAME OUT AND SAID HE WOULD BE HANDING OVER HIS PORTFOLIOS AND HE COULD NOT WORK WITH MS COLLINS SAYING SHE SHOULD RESIGN. WE WILL HAVE THE RESULTS OF THIS CAUCUS MEETING WHICH HAS NOW BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER THREE HOURS AT PARLIAMENT. JUDITH COLIN SAID SHE WOULD BE FRONTING AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING WITH DR SHANE RETI AND JACKIE DEAN, THE WOMAN AT THE CENTRE OF THIS INCIDENT. AS WE CAN SEE, THE PRESS GALLERY IS NOW PACKED OUT AND WAITING. ALL THE COMMOTION CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING. MPS ARE ABOUT TO EMERGE AT PARLIAMENT. WE WILL WATCH ON FOR A LITTLE BIT AND SEE WHO IS COMING OUT. WE ARE NOT SURE SHE IS COMING OUT. IT COULD BE A FALSE ALARM. AS WE WAIT, WE MIGHT HAVE A LISTEN TO WHAT SOME OF THE MPS SAID THIS MORNING. ONE THING IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR COMMENT THAT IS JUDITH COLLINS MUST RESIGN. HER ACTIONS ARE DOWNRIGHT APPALLING. IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT HOW THIS HAS PLAYED OUT AT ALL. BUT THAT WILL BE THE DISCUSSION ON CAUCUS NOW. THAT WAS MARK MITCHELL AND SIMON O'CONNOR. MARK MITCHELL STAYING TIGHTLIPPED. HE SAID HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK AFTER THE CAUCUS MEETING. SIMON O'CONNOR A LITTLE MORE FRANK. SAYING HE WOULD HAND OVER ALL IS PORTFOLIOS AND THAT JUDITH RESIGN JUDITH COLLINS SHOULD RESIGN. COLLINS WAS SAID TO FRONT AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. WHETHER THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, WHETHER THAT WILL BE JUDITH COLLINS FRONTING, WE WILL HAVE TO SEE. IT AS A NOT QUITE LIKE COMMENTATING SPORTS EVENTS, AS IT? BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE FEVER PITCH WILL BE REACHED BY REPORTERS AND CAMERAMEN AND WOMAN THERE AS WELL. WE WILL WAIT ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. AS WE WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT THREE-HOUR CAUCUS MEETING IS. THIS COMES OFF THE BACK OF A POLL SHOWING THAT SIMON BRIDGES WOULD BE THE PREFERRED NATIONAL PARTY LEADER WHICH CAME OUT OVER THE WEEKEND. BRIDGES DID NOT DO TOO MUCH TO QUELL SPECULATION ABOUT EITHER HE MIGHT FANCY A TILT AT THE LEADERSHIP POSITION. SOME ARE SAYING THIS IS QUITE OPPORTUNE TIMING ON MS COLLINS'S BEHALF. LIKE WE SAID, IT WAS OVER A COMMENT MADE OVER FIVE YEARS AGO BY BRIDGES IN THE PRESENCE OF A COUPLE OF OTHER NATIONAL MPS. SUPPOSEDLY CRUDE COMMENTS AT JACKIE DEAN. WE WILL SEE WHO WAS SET TO COME OUT IN THE CORRIDORS OF POWER. ABBY WAKEFIELD, I BELIEVE YOU ARE STANDING BY FOR US. PERHAPS YOU CAN HELP ME OUT WITH THIS SLIGHT COMMENTARY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN PARLIAMENT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I AM HOPING YOU HAVE A BETTER VIEW THAN I DO. WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN THERE? YES, WE HAVE HAD SOME RUMOURS GOING AROUND THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. THIS ALL COMES AFTER JUDITH COLLINS RELEASED THAT PRESS RELEASE LAST NIGHT, ALLEGING SIMON BRIDGES DID SERIOUS MISCONDUCT INVOLVING A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE IN THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER NATIONAL MP, JACKIE DEAN, AROUND FIVE YEARS AGO. SHE SENT THIS PRETTILY IS OUT. APPARENTLY SHE DID NOT TELL ANY OTHER CAUCUS MEMBERS BUT THIS DECISION HAD UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL PARTY BOARD. BRIDGES IN RESPONSE TO THIS HOW HIS OWN PRESS CONFERENCE THIS MORNING. THE NATIONAL PARTY HAS BEEN IN AN EMERGENCY CAUCUS MEETING SINCE 9 AM. IT IS NOW JUST A LITTLE BIT AFTER 12. SO OVER THREE HOURS. WE UNDERSTAND THEY HAD A WATER BREAK IN BETWEEN BUT IT HAS BEEN A BUSY DAY FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY MEMBERS. WE SAW A FEW OF THOSE MPS COMING INTO PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING. WHAT WAS THE MOOD LIKE FOR THEM? THAT'S RIGHT. A LOT OF MPS THAT WE SPOKE TO DID NOT WANT TO COMMENT. A LOT SAID IT WAS A METAPHOR CAUCUS. WE DID HAVE SIMON O'CONNOR WHO SAID JUDITH COLLINS NEEDS TO RESIGN. HE WAS GOING TO HAND IN HIS PORTFOLIOS THIS MORNING AND THAT HE WOULD SIMPLY NOT WORK WITH HER. WE SPOKE TO MOI COMMERCIAL ON THE OTHER HAND WHO SAID INITIALLY, HE DID NOT WANT TO COMMENT, THIS WAS A METAPHOR CAUCUS, BUT NO ONE IS HAPPY ABOUT HOW IT ROLLED OUT. HOW TAKEN ABACK WITH HIS MPS BY LAST NIGHT'S ANNOUNCEMENT? THE GENERAL REACTION THAT WE GOT FROM THEM IS A LOT OF THEM ARE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THIS. A LOT OF THEM DID NOT KNOW UNTIL THE PRESS RELEASE CAME TO THE MEDIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY WE WILL SEND THAT OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT IS HOW THE A LOT OF THE MPS FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SITUATION. I CAN IMAGINE IT CAME AS QUITE A SHOCK TO THEM AS IT DID TO US. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THAT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU BACK TO PARLIAMENT NOW, RECAP ON OUR TOP STORY, SIMON BRIDGES CAME INTO PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING DEMOTED AND STRIPPED OF HIS PORTFOLIOS BY THE LEADER, JUDITH COLLINS. SHE SAID THESE COMMENTS AROUND JACKIE DEAN WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR HER AND THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE STRIPPING HIM OF HIS PORTFOLIOS. HE CAME IN THIS MORNING AND SAID HE BELIEVED THAT TO BE A DESPERATE MOVE BY COLLINS AND THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AND HIS THOUGHTS ON IT AND THE FULL MATTER OF TIME,M BUT WAS GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE FULL CAUCUS MEETING. WE HAVE HEARD FROM A FEW OF THE NATIONAL MPS. O'CONNOR SAID HE WAS GOING TO HAND OVER HIS PORTFOLIOS AND HE THOUGHT JUDITH COLLINS SHOULD RESIGN. HE MADE A LITTLE COMMENT TO THE MEDIA SAYING IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR YOU? WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE WHAT OTHER MPS TAKES ARE ON THE MATTER. ABBY, CAN I ASK, THIS FEELS LIKE A MASSIVE MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIONAL AND THE FACT THAT AT THE MOMENT THIS WEEK, THE TOPIC OF ORDERS REOPENING, KIWIS UNHAPPY ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO COME HOME, SURELY THEY SHOULD BE STRIKING WHILE THE IRON IS HOT AND TAKING INTO LABOUR. INSTEAD THEY ARE DEALING WITH THEIR OWN DIRTY LAUNDRY. CHRIS, YOU HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. TODAY MARKS THE HUNDREDTH DAY OF AUCKLAND BEING IN LOCKDOWN AND WE HEARD FROM DAVID SEYMOUR THIS MORNING SAYING THAT WAS HIS FOCUS TODAY AND NOT THE MATTERS OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. AND UPDATE, WE HAVE JUST HAD A CONFIRMATION JUDITH COLLINS IS NO LONGER THE LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. WE ARE EXPECTING THE CAUCUS MEMBERS, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE, TO WALK THROUGH HERE SHORTLY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED. NATIONAL PARTY LEADER, NOW FORMER LEADER, JUDITH COLLINS HAS BEEN ROLLED. WOW, THERE WE GO. JUDITH COLLINS WHO DROPPED A BOMBSHELL LAST NIGHT IS NOW SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOME OF THAT SHRAPNEL. WE SAW DAVID SEYMOUR THERE. HE HAS AND RECENTLY BECOME THE OTHER OPPOSITION MEMBER AND HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THAT BY SOME OTHER LABOUR MPS. HE MUST BE ENJOYING HIS TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS THE OTHER OPPOSITION MEMBER. SOMEONE DID PUT THE QUESTION TO HIM THIS MORNING. THEY SAID AS DAVID SEYMOUR NOW THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION? HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT AS LONG AS HE IS LEADER OF THE ACT PARTY, HE IS HAPPY. IT HAS BEEN A BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR THE NATIONAL AND AT PARTIES. WE RECENTLY HAD ALCOHOL, DAVID SEYMOUR IS SITTING AT A SECOND PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER AND COLLINS WAS DIRT ON AROUND 5%. IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR HER. BRIDGES ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST YESTERDAY, HE HAD HIS BOOK SIGNING DOWN ON LAMBTON QUAY. THERE WERE LONG LINES OF FANS WAITING TO GET THE BOOKS SIGNED BY BRIDGES. HE SEEMED PRETTY CHUFFED ABOUT THAT. IT IS CRAZY WHAT CAN CHANGE IN 24-HOUR IS. FROM BOOK SIGNINGS TO POTENTIALLY ROLLING JUDITH COLLINS. WE HAVE NOT HEARD YET WHETHER SIMON BRIDGES IS NOW THE MANCHILD YET, HAVE WE? KNOW, WE HAVE NOT HAD THE CONFIRMATION OF THAT. WILL BE NO IS THAT COLLINS IS NO LONGER AT THE LEADER. THEY MAY BE THRASHING OUT IDEAS AS TO WHO MIGHT BE THE NEW LEADER. THIS IS A DEVELOPING SITUATION. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED. THANKS, ABBY, LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. IF YOU'RE JOINING US ON THIS MIDDAY, NOW BREAKING NEW SPECIAL, JUDITH COLLINS HAS BEEN ROLLED. LAST NIGHT AFTER STRIPPING HIM OF HIS PORTFOLIOS AFTER AN INCIDENT OVER FIVE YEARS AGO. HE IS SAID TO HAVE MADE CRUDE REMARKS TO JACKIE DEAN. COLLINS IS MOVING LOOKS TO HAVE BACKFIRED. NO ONE WAS CONSULTED OVER THIS, IT CAME OUT OF THE BLUE LAST NIGHT. BRIDGES SAID THIS MORNING, IT WAS A DESPERATE MOVE FROM JUDITH COLLINS. IT IS LOOKING INCREASINGLY LIKE HE HAS BEEN PROVEN RIGHT BECAUSE HER MOVE HAS BACKFIRED. THERE WAS A POLL SHOWING HE WAS PREFERRED, NOT ONLY BY NEW ZEALANDERS, BUT WITHIN THE PARTY ITSELF. THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY CALLED SOME CATASTROPHE AND CHAOS WITHIN THIS CAUCUS. WHICH IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY RAUCOUS AND IS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF STABILITY AT ALL. THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE HAMMERING LABOUR OVER THE ISSUE OF KIWIS NOT BEING ABLE TO COME BACK TO NEW ZEALAND OVER CHRISTMAS. ONCE AGAIN, THEY ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THEIR OWN DIRTY LAUNDRY. SIMON O'CONNOR, QUITE BLUNT IN HIS ASSESSMENT. THAT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS GOT HIS WISH. WE WILL WAIT TO HEAR THE REACTION OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL PARTY AS WELL. WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS PARLIAMENT IN THE PRESS GALLERY WAITING ANXIOUSLY, AS ARE WE, TO SEE WHO IS COMING OUT. THERE WAS ONLY A WEEK TO GO PARLIAMENT SITTING FOR THIS YEAR, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW LEADER IN BY CHRISTMAS. THEY WILL HAVE THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS TO TAKE STOCK AND SEE HOW THE LEADERSHIP ROLE FITS FOR THEM. WE SIT BY AND WAIT FOR NEWS OF WHO THEY ARE NEW LEADER WILL BE AT PARLIAMENT. OMITS THE EXCITEMENT OF THE WAITING AND HOPING AND WISHING, - I realised that it's more than just me. It's about our communities; it's about our families, my elderly grandmother at home as well, and being able to ensure that she's safe WELCOME BACK. GRAB A CUP OF TEA, WE MIGHT BE HERE FOR A WEE WHILE. WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS THAT THE NATIONAL PARTY LEADER IS NOW THE FORMER LEADER. JUDITH COLLINS HAS BEEN ROLLED AFTER THE THREE-HOUR CAUCUS AT PARLIAMENT TODAY. WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME LIVE PICTURES OF PARLIAMENT AT THE MOMENT AS WE WAIT TO SEE WHO THE NEW LEADER WILL BE. WE HAVE HAD WORD THAT COULD BE A STANDARD LEADER FOR THE NEXT WEEK, DR SHANE RETI. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE WHO COMES THROUGH THE DOORS. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW NAMES THROWN UP THIS MORNING. CHRISTOPHER LUXTON, NICOLA WILLIS, AND POTENTIALLY EVEN MARK MITCHELL OR CHRIS BISHOP. THE WORD IS THAT SHANE RETI TO BE THE STANDARD LEADER FOR A WEEK. LAST NIGHT JUDITH COLLINS SENT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING SHE HAD DEMOTED SIMON BRIDGES. HE HAD MADE A CRUDE COMMENT IN THE PRESENCE OF SOME MPS. THIS MORNING, SIMON BRIDGES CAME OUT AND SAID THIS WAS DESPERATE STUFF. WE MIGHT HAVE A CLIP. IT WAS HIS REACTION WHEN THE PRESS GALLERY DOORSTOPS AT PARLIAMENT. I THINK IT SHOWS ACTUALLY THAT SHE WILL GO TO ANY LENGTH TO HOLD ONTO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AND HOW WRONG IT WAS. AND I ASSURE YOU I WILL. BUT I WANT TO TALK TO MY CAUCUS FIRST AND BE VERY CLEAR WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT I THINK AND WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN. HE HAS CLEARLY TALKED TO THEM. JUDITH COLLINS HAS GONE. A VERY QUIET MORNING AT PARLIAMENT (!) YES. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT COULD NOT BE ANY FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS SET TO TAKE PLACE OVER THERE. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE LEADERS. THE SOURCES HAD TOLD ME THAT IT IS SHANE RETI WHO WILL BE STEPPING ON IN THE INTERIM, AND THEN A NEW LEADER WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK. THERE WERE SOME SWELLS AND REPORTS OF OTHER PEOPLE, BUT THAT IS WHAT MY SOURCES ARE TELLING ME, THAT SHANE RETI IS STANDING IN THE MEANTIME. WE ARE WAITING FOR HIM AND PERHAPS OTHERS TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK TO US SHORTLY. THIS IS A VERY BIG DAY FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY. THE POLLS RECENTLY HAVE SHOWN THAT JUDITH COLLINS HAD ISSUES WITH HER LEADERSHIP NUMBERS, THEN LAST NIGHT WE HAD THAT BIG BOMBSHELL PRESS RELEASE AROUND 9:30 PM SAYING THAT SIMON BRIDGES WAS BEING STRIPPED OF HIS PORTFOLIOS AFTER A COMMENT HE ALLEGEDLY MADE IT TO JACKIE DEAN, AND I UNDERSTAND FROM MY SOURCES THAT IT WAS OF A SEXUAL NATURE. THE COMMENT WAS MADE NOT TO JACKIE DEAN, BUT IN HER PRESENCE. THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING AND BREWING HERE AT PARLIAMENT, AND NOW WE SEE THE FALL OUT OF THAT. JUDITH COLLINS HAS GONE. SHE DID NOT HAVE A CAUCUS MEETING LAST NIGHT. THAT CONSULTATION HAS HAPPENED THIS MORNING. WE HAVE NOT TALKED TO HER ON THIS IN THE LAST THREE HOURS THEY HAVE BEEN LOCKED UP IN THAT CAUCUS ROOM. WE ARE WAITING FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL PARTY TO COME THROUGH. IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF SWITCHING AND CHANGING FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY OVER THE LAST LITTLE WHILE. WE HAD SIMON BRIDGES, THEN WE HAD TODD MULLER, THEN JUDITH COLLINS, AND NOW WE ARE SET TO HAVE A NEW LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY, OUR SECOND-BIGGEST PARTY HERE AND PARLIAMENT. IT IS ALL ON HERE TODAY. WE'RE JUST COMING INTO THE CHRISTMAS BREAK. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THEY SHOW SOME STABILITY AND DID NOT HAVE THE DIRTY LAUNDRY BEING EITHER JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS? MY SOURCES WERE SAYING THERE WAS A SMALL CHANCE THAT SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN FOR CHRISTMAS BUT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THEY MAY WAIT FOR THE NEW YEAR AS WELL. IT IS HAPPEN NOW. THIS IS, BUT WAS SIMON BRIDGES AND IT HAS PROMPTED A WHOLE SERIES OF CARDS FALLING DOWN AROUND IT FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY. IT IS A BIG DEVELOPMENT. THE FACT THAT WE ARE ON 25 NOVEMBER TODAY AND WE ARE GOING INTO THE CHRISTMAS BREAK, THAT WILL GIVE THE NEW LEADER A BIT OF BREATHING SPACE, BUT IF WE ARE GETTING A NEW LEADER FOR THE PARTY NEXT WEEK, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. THEY STILL HAVE THREE WEEKS AT PARLIAMENT WHERE THEY HAVE TO FACE QUESTIONS IN THE DEBATING CHAMBER, AND WE HAVE LEARNED THAT EVERY TIME THEY GET A NEW LEADER THAT THEY ARE THROWN INTO THE DEEP END AND THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE PRIME MINISTERIAL MATERIAL. SOME MIGHT SAY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IS A JOB YOU CAN EASE AND TWO. THEY ARE AUDITIONING TO BE PRIME MINISTER, AND THAT IS THE LENS THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO LOOK AT THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION THROUGH. THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN NOVEMBER, PERHAPS IT WILL GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A WARMUP TOWARDS CHRISTMAS. THEY ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING THE CHRISTMAS BREAK GOING THROUGH THINGS, GETTING UP TO SPEED. THERE ARE A FEW NAMES IN THE MIX IN ALL OF THIS. FIREMAN BRIDGES IS THE NAME THAT PEOPLE WERE TOUTING WHEN I WAS DOING STORIES ON THIS LAST WEEK AROUND THE POLLS. IN TERMS OF CHRISTOPHER LUXTON, THE GENERAL FEELING AS HE HAS ONLY BEEN A PARLIAMENT FOR A YEAR AND PERHAPS DID NOT HAVE THE POLITICAL EXPERIENCE. THAT IS ALL OUT THE WINDOW NOW. EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER CHRISTOPHER LUXTON IS GOING TO TAKE A CHANCE NOW OR WHETHER WE WILL SEE SOME SORT OF INTERIM LEADER, PERHAPS MARK MITCHELL, PERHAPS CHRIS BISHOP OR SOMEONE LIKE THAT. WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE PUTTING UP THE HANDS, SAYING I AM KEEN FOR THE JOB. THE FACTIONS ARE SET, AND THEN THEY GO FOR THE LEADERSHIP. WE ASSUME THAT WILL HAPPEN ON TUESDAY WHEN CAUCUS MEETS AGAIN NEXT WEEK. A LOT OF MOVING PARTS HERE. YOU SAY SHANE RETI COULD BE STEPPING IN AS AN INTERIM LEADER. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THEY GET THIS NEXT ONE RIGHT? THERE HASN'T SO MUCH CHOPPING AND CHANGING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. TO BE HONEST, THEY SHOULD HAVE GOT THE ONE AFTER BRIDGES RIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN REALLY MESSY FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON HOLDING GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT HAD A GOOD COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT IS HAD SOME REAL ISSUES THAT HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH, AND INSTEAD OF POINTING THOSE OUT, IT IS FOCUSING ON ITSELF. APPLE NATIONAL SUPPORTERS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT VOTING FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY, IT MAKES IT VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO BE SEEN AS AN ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT. YES, WE'RE TWO YEARS UP FROM AN ELECTION, BUT THAT GOES VERY, VERY QUICKLY, AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR PEOPLE TO GET USED TO A LEADER. WE SAW WHEN JACINDA ARDERN CAME INTO POWER, IT WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION. THIS LEADER PERHAPS WILL HAVE SOME MORE TIME IN THE LEAD UP, BUT THIS LEADER MIGHT ALSO BE AN INTERIM LEADER, DEPENDING ON WHO IT IS, AND THEY MAY BE THOUGHT OF HOLDING THE SHIP OR STEADYING THE SHIP IF YOU LIKE UNTIL THE NEXT LEADER COMES IN. NOW THAT IS MESSY AS WELL. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF COMPLEXITIES TO DEAL WITH HERE. JUDITH COLLINS WAS REALLY TRYING TO HOLD ONTO THAT LEADERSHIP. SHE PLAYED THIS CARD LAST NIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A SERIOUS ALLEGATION, AND A SERIOUS ISSUE, BUT IT COMES TO A POLITICAL LENS AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR HER LEADERSHIP. SHE HAS WANTED TO BE LEADER FOR A LONG TIME. SHE WANTED TO KEEP THE LEADERSHIP POSITION. SHE WANTED TO BE PRIME MINISTER. AND THAT HAS COME TO A HALT HERE TODAY. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR HER FUTURE. LAST TIME SHE WAS DEMOTED, SHE STATED RUBBER HALLS OF POWER. I'M NOT SURE SHE WILL DO THAT THIS TIME. THEY ARE JUST COMING OUT OF THE MEETING. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR PHONES AND THERE. IT IS A CASE OF THEM COMING OUT, AND THEN QUICKLY RELAYING THAT INFORMATION TO US. IT IS STILL FAST MOVING, AND THERE ARE STILL A LOT AT PLAY HERE. WITH EVERYTHING MOVING AROUND THE PLACE, THERE IS ONE LITTLE COG IN THE MIDDLE THAT SOMETIMES ENJOYS THE SORT OF CHAOS. DAVID SEYMOUR CAME INTO PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING AND WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE ISSUES ON BEING AN OPPOSITION MEMBER AND HOLDING THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT. WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS FOR HIM AND FOR THE ACT PARTY? IT IS GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR MR SEYMOUR. HE NEEDS THE NATIONAL PARTY TO BE DOING WELL TO BE ABLE TO COME TO PARLIAMENT. ON THE OTHER SIDE, HE MAY BE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME OF THE SUPPORT FROM THE CHAOS THAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE NATIONAL PARTY AT THE MOMENT. IT IS KIND OF BEEN MIXED FEELINGS FOR HIM. HE HAS BEEN DOING VERY WELL IN OUR POLITICAL POLL, AND ALSO IN THE NEWSHUB RESEARCH POLL AS WELL. HE HAS PICKED UP SUPPORT. HE IS STICKING TO MESSAGE. HIS CAUCUS BEHIND HIM, AND HE IS NOT BEING DISTRACTED BY INTERNAL POLITICS. FOR DAVID SEYMOUR, THIS WILL HAVE RAMIFICATIONS OF COURSE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS A POTENTIAL COALITION PARTNER, SO WOULD BE BETTER FOR DAVID SEYMOUR IF IT WAS PERHAPS THE GOVERNMENT STRUGGLING AND NOT HIS POTENTIAL ALLY WITH THE NATIONAL PARTY. HOW BIG IS THIS NEXT DECISION FOR NATIONAL? IS THE FUTURE OF THE PARTY AT STAKE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO STEADY THE SHIP? OF COURSE IT IS A MASSIVE DECISION. THIS PERSON IS THE FIGUREHEAD OF THE PARTY. THIS PERSON POTENTIALLY IS GOING UP AGAINST JACINDA ARDERN AT THE NEXT ELECTION. THIS IS THE PERSON THAT SETS THE TONE, SETS THE SCENE FOR THE PARTY. IT IS A HUGE DECISION. I THINK IT WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE WHETHER NATIONAL DECIDES TO EITHER PUT IN AN INTERIM PERSON AND DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS MESS AGAIN AT A FUTURE DATE OR IF THEY DECIDE THAT CHRISTOPHER LUXTON IS THE PERSON AND WHETHER HE SHOULD GO NOW. I KNOW BEHIND-THE-SCENES THAT THOSE CLOSE TO MR LUXTON ARE TELLING HIM HOLD ON, DO NOT GO YET. IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONLY BEEN IN PARLIAMENT FOR A YEAR. AND THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A GO AT THE LEADERSHIP, YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE A PROPER GO AT IT. MR LUXTON MAY FEEL LOOK, EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED NOW. THE SEAS HAVE PARTED, IF YOU LIKE, AND THIS IS HIS OPPORTUNITY. THE OTHER PERSON TO CONSIDER HERE IS SIMON BRIDGES. HIS NAME WAS BANDIED ABOUT BEFORE THIS. SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS WERE NOT RULING OUT HAVING A TILT AT THE LEADERSHIP EITHER BEFORE CHRISTMAS OR AFTER CHRISTMAS. SO HIS NAME IS STILL IN THE MIX. WE DO NEED MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS COMMENT MADE TO JACKIE DEAN. WE WANT TO SEE HER REACTION TO ALL OF THIS. THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT. AND WHETHER WE WILL STILL HEAR FROM HER TODAY, I THINK THEY WILL BE SIGNIFICANT. AND ALSO HIS REACTION TO THAT, BECAUSE WHEN HE CAME INTO PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING, HE SAID I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY, BUT HE DID NOT GIVE US THE DETAILS ON THE SPECIFICS. HE DEFINITELY COMMUNICATED THAT HE WAS NOT EAST PLEASED WITH HOW THINGS HAVE PLAYED OUT, BUT DID NOT GIVE US HIS SIDE OF THINGS. I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS THE THING THEY GOT THE BALL ROLLING, AND WE DO WANT TO HEAR SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT THAT. IT IS A BIG DECISION. CAREERS HAVE CHANGED AND PERHAPS CHANGED TRACHEA TODAY. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. INDEED, CAREERS HAVE CHANGED TODAY. JUDITH COLLINS HAS TWEETED TO SAY THAT SHE IS PLEASED TO SAY SHE IS JUST THE MP FOR PAPAKURA. IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO TAKE OVER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL PARTY OVER THE WORST OF TIMES, AND TO DO THAT FOR 16 MONTHS HAS TAKEN HUGE STAMINA AND RESOLVE AND HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE ROLE. SHE SAID SHE DID NOT ASK FOR THE ALLEGATION TO BE GIVEN TO HER. SHE IS PART OF THE SUPPORT SHE HAS RECEIVED FROM SHANE RETI, AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY FOR PAPAKURA BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE. I HAVE MISSED OUT A TWEET. SHE SAID THERE WAS A VARIETY OF FACTORS. SHE KNEW WHEN SHE WAS CONFIDED BY A FEMALE COLLEAGUE REGARDING HER ALLEGATION OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT AGAINST A SENIOR COLLEAGUE THAT I WOULD LIKELY LOSE THE LEADERSHIP BY TAKING THE MATTER SO SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IF I HADN'T, I FELT I WOULD NOT HAVE DESERVED THE ROLE. THIS IS A BIG THANK YOU TO THE STAFF IN THE NATIONAL LEADERS OFFICE. MY PUBLIC OFFICE, NATIONAL PARTY MEMBERS AND HER COLLEAGUES, SHE IS PLEASED THAT SHE WILL GET TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND I WILL NOT MISS THE DROOLING MEDIA SCHEDULE. LET'S BRING AN POLITICAL ANALYST AND FORMER NATIONAL PARTY PRESS SECRETARY BENNETT THOMAS. KIA ORA. MS COLLINS AS SHE WILL NOT MISS THE DROOLING MEDIA SCHEDULE. DO YOU THINK SHE WILL? THIS IS A ROLE SHE HAS BEEN COVETING FOR SO LONG. I DO NOT THINK THE ISSUE IS WHETHER SHE MISSES IT WILL NOT. MOST PEOPLE ENJOY THEIR TIME OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT. A LOT OF RELIEF AFTER WHAT HAS BEEN THE TOUGHEST ROLE IN POLITICS AS OPPOSITION LEADER. ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THE PARTY IS WHAT DO THEY DO WITH JUDITH COLLINS RIGHT NOW? SHE SAID EARLY AS TWO DAYS AGO THAT IF SHE WAS NO LONGER THE LEADER, SHE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE HER LOCAL MP. SHE WOULD NOT RESIGN FROM PARLIAMENT. BUT I THINK IF THIS EPISODE HAS PROVEN ANYTHING, IT IS THAT JUDITH COLLINS WILL STOP AT NOTHING IN TERMS OF HER POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT. ON THAT QUESTION, I WILL ASK YOU TO DO SOME SEARCHING, DO YOU THINK IT IS TENABLE THAT SHE STAYS IN THAT ROLE? AND IS THERE A FUTURE FOR HER IN THIS NATIONAL PARTY? I DO NOT THINK WHOEVER TAKES OVER THE LEADERSHIP WOULD ENVISAGE THAT THERE IS A FUTURE FOR HER EITHER AS A MINISTER ALWAYS A SENIOR MEMBER. I THINK THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SHE TRIED TO KNEECAP SIMON BRIDGES TODAY, I NOTED FROM THE TWEETS THAT SHE HAS SORT OF CONTINUED TO SAY IT IS A POINT OF PRINCIPLE. BUT THE FACTS CERTAINLY DO NOT SEEM TO BE RATHER VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS THAT SHE MADE. IF SHE HAD BEEN ABLE TO BACK UP HER CLAIMS, WE WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOME RIGHT NOW. THE QUESTION IS REALLY ABOUT WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LEADER DO WITH JUDITH COLLINS? THEY MAY BE LOOKING TO HER OWN EXAMPLE OF BOOTING FORMER LEADER TODD MULLER OUT OF CAUCUS. WHAT YOU THINK WAS GOING THROUGH JUDITH COLLINS'S MIND WHEN SHE MADE THIS CALCULATION? IT CLEARLY BACKFIRED IN THE WORST MANNER POSSIBLE FOR HER. LOOKED, SIMON BRIDGES HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS QUITE AND DISCREETLY PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED AN ORDERLY TRANSITION. JUDITH COLLINS' TENURE WAS GOING TO END BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION. YOU CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT SHE SEES THESE ALLEGATIONS AS A SORT OF LAST-DITCH EFFORT AS A NARROW WINDOW TO TRY AND STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING. JUDITH COLLINS HAS BEEN ROLLED AS THE NATIONAL PARTY LEADER TODAY. LET'S JOIN LARA GREAVES. WE'RE MIDWAY THROUGH THE ELECTION SCHEDULE. HOW DISRUPTIVE IS THIS? CAN YOU HEAR ME, LARA? THERE SHE IS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON THIS MORNING? THIS IS PROBABLY GOOD TIMING FOR NATIONAL IN TERMS OF 2023. IT'S A SHAME THAT ALL OF THE STUFF IS BROUGHT UP AROUND POTENTIAL WORKPLACE HARASSMENT. THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR WOMEN AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION GENERALLY. IS A SHAME THAT THAT HAS BEEN USED POLITICALLY. BUT OF COURSE, WE NEED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT IN THAT SPACE. I THINK THAT THIS HAS BACKFIRED FOR COLLINS. HER TERM OF LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN MARKED BY HER HANGING ON AND HER BEING PUT IN THE UNENVIABLE POSITION OF BECOMING LEADER STRAIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION AND HAVING TO HOLD ON OVERTIME. ULTIMATELY, I THINK PUTTING THE INTERIM LEADERSHIP IN DR RETI'S HANS IS A GOOD MOVE SO THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AS A PARTY. DOES NATIONAL HAVE A NATURAL SUCCESSOR? NO, THEY DON'T. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO WOULD TAKE OVER. A LIST OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES. A REAL KEY CHALLENGE FOR WHOEVER IT IS IS GETTING UP THERE SHOWING THE PUBLIC WHO THEY ARE A BUILDING THAT PERSONAL BRAND, BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANYONE WAVING IN THE WIND. THERE IS NO ARDERN FIGURE READY TO GO. IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ARDERN FIGURE, THERE WAS CAUSE FOR NATIONAL TO LOOK MORE LIKE NEW ZEALAND, BUT MORE DIVERSITY. DO YOU THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR THE NEXT LEADER? THEY ARE SEARCHING IN THE CAUCUS, THERE CAUCUS IS NOT PARTICULARLY DIVERSE. BUT WE ARE HAVING TO MAORI BEING TALKED ABOUT AS THE NEXT POTENTIAL LEADERS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING. BUT IN TERMS OF THAT GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN LEADER, THAT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD EXPECT GIVEN THAT JUSTIN ARDERN IS YOUNG AND WE HAVE SEEN LEADERSHIP SHIFT DOWN IN TERMS OF GENERATIONS. THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF WHOEVER IT IS CAN CREATE THAT NATIONAL PARTY IDENTITY AND SHOW US WHAT A RIGHT PARTY LOOKS LIKE IN 2023. WHAT IS THAT SHOW ABOUT THE UP STRATEGY, NOT HAVING SOMEONE WAITING IN THE WINGS. WHAT YOU THINK THAT IS ABOUT IT? WE SEE THAT TENSION IN LOGICAL PARTIES. WHEN YOU SEE A POPULAR LEADER LEAVE, LIKE DONKEY, THERE IS A VACUUM THAT IS LEFT. TAKES A NUMBER OF YEARS TO FIGURE OUT WHO SHOULD FILL THOSE SHOES. THERE IS TENSION WHEN YOU ARE A POLITICIAN, YOU WANT TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION COME THROUGH BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN YOUR PERSONAL INTERESTS. SO THERE IS A CONSTANT BALANCING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE SEEN FOR NATIONAL IS REALLY FIGURING OUT WHAT THEIR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD. THEY HAVE HAD THEIR OWN PARTY REVIEW ON THE ELECTION LOSS AND FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO IN TERMS OF THEIR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES AND HOW THEY CAN BETTER MIRROR AND REPRESENT IS ALL GOING FORWARD. BEFORE WE GO TO THE BREAK, PETER GOODFELLOW, HOW MUCH DOES HE HAVE TO CARRY FOR THIS BECAUSE A LOT HAS BEEN MADE OF A LOT OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PARTY BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BOARD AND PETER GOODFELLOW? I THINK HE DOES NEED TO CARRY SOME RESPONSE ABILITY. AGAIN IT'S THAT WHOLE INTERGENERATIONAL SHIFT. THE PARTY NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THIS IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE. THE PARTY HAS NOT GONE THROUGH THIS AS LIKELY AS THEY COULD HAVE. THE NEED TO WORK ON THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT BETTER GOING FORWARD. THAT WILL BE A KEY CHALLENGE FOR THEM. AT SOME STAGE THEY WILL PROBABLY BIG LABOUR AND BE GOVERNMENT. LARA GREAVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND. THINGS WERE JOINING US. Whether it's your "new style of hair" pair or your "ex is over there" pair, at Specsavers you can treat yourself from our wide range of stylish pairs with any two from just $169. For double the style at one low price, should have gone to Specsavers. WELCOME BACK TO THIS ONE NEW SPECIAL. JUDITH COLLINS THE LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY HAS BEEN ROLLED THIS AFTERNOON. FOR OUR CAUCUS MEETING AFTER SIMON BRIDGES WAS DEMOTED LAST NIGHT, WE HEARD FROM SIMON BRIDGES AS HE WENT INTO PARLIAMENT. I THINK IT SHOWS ACTUALLY THAT SHE'LL GO TO ANY LENGTH TO HOLD ON TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY AND HOW WRONG IT WAS, AND I ASSURE YOU, I WILL, BUT I WANT TO TALK TO MY CAUCUS FIRST AND BE VERY CLEAR WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN. FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY. I ASSURE YOU I WILL DO A FULL PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I GOING TO CHALLENGE JUDITH COLLINS? I HAVE SAID MY PIECE. I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AFTER CAUCUS. I THOUGHT A CAUCUS YESTERDAY EVENING. JUDITH COLLINS WAS STILL IN THE PRECINCT BUT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE ONE YESTERDAY. FINALLY, WE HAVE ONE THIS MORNING AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. LET'S GO TO OUR POLITICAL EDITOR. FOUR HOURS LATER, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AT THE MOMENT? THERE HAS BEEN A FEW DEVELOPMENTS SINCE I SPOKE TO YOU. JUDITH COLLINS HAS BEEN TWEETING. YOU SHARE THOSE TWEETS WITH OUR VIEWERS SAYING SHE STILL INTENDS TO REPRESENT HER ELECTORATE AND SHE WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE. SHE WILL BE STAYING ON AS A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. HER DEPARTURE MEANS THERE IS A WHOLE LOT GOING ON FOR NATIONAL MPS AT THE MOMENT. WE WILL NOW HAVE A NEW LEADER ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK. THERE ARE FEW OPTIONS. FIRST OF ALL THE DEPUTY LEADER AT THE MOMENT, HE IS THE INTERIM LEADER. HE IS AN OPTION. CHRISTOPHER LUXTON IS ANOTHER. HE HAS BEEN THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF A NEW ZEALAND BUT HAS ONLY BEEN IN PARLIAMENT FOR ONE YEAR. SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL BUT THIS IS A STRANGE PLACE. LEARNING HOW EVERYTHING WORKS IS VERY IMPORTANT. YOU HAVE GOT TO DO YOUR TIME, ALMOST LIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF HIGH SCHOOL. YOU NEED A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE YOU CAN BE A LEADER. THE OTHER OPTION IS MARK MITCHELL. HE IS SOMEONE WHO MAY POSSIBLY DECIDE THAT HE WANTS TO RUN TOO. ANOTHER NAME IS CHRIS BISHOP. A COUPLE OF CROSSES IN THE MIX. HE IS SOMEONE WHO MAY STEP INTO THAT ROLE AS WELL. AND NICOLA WILLIS IS ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS BEEN TOUTED AS PERHAPS SOMEONE FOR THE FUTURE. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS THAT THE MPS HAVE PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD, THEY HAVE THEN DONE THE NUMBERS WHEN CAUCUS MEETS AGAIN ON TUESDAY, AND THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE THE SAME FORMULA THAT WILL BE HAPPENING AGAIN. I WOULD HAVE SET THE SCENE FOR YOU. WE ARE IN THE GRAND HALL AT PARLIAMENT. OVER THERE AS THE BLACK-AND-WHITE TILES AS SOME VIEWERS WILL RECOGNISE AS MPS WALK ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND INTO THE DEBATING CHAMBER. THE OLD LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER IS WHERE WE GO TO HAVE A MEDIA CONFERENCE SET TO HAPPEN SHORTLY. THERE IS A PACK OF JOURNALISTS WAITING FOR THAT AT THE MOMENT.. PHIL IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A VIEW OF THAT. WE HAVE GOT MEDIA WAITING. PROBABLY THE OPENING SHOTS OF MOST OF THE STORIES TONIGHT WILL BE OF WHOEVER IT IS, SHANE RETI, AND OTHER MPS WALKING ALONG THERE. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE AT THE MOMENT. WE ARE STILL HOWEVER WAITING FOR ANY DEVELOPMENTS. THERE HAS BEEN SOME SPECULATION THAT THERE MAY BE A PRESS CONFERENCE AROUND 1 O'CLOCK. IT'S A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE THAT AND WE HAVE NOT HAD OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION. IN TERMS OF THE TIMETABLE HERE AND PARLIAMENT, THE MPS GO INTO THE DEBATING CHAMBER AT 2 PM. THAT IS WHERE THEY THRASH OUT THE IDEAS SO IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MEDIA CONFERENCE, THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THEM FORWARD, THEY NEED TO DO IT RATHER SOFTLY. MAY BE SHOWING THE DEXTERITY THAT THE ONE NEWS REPORTERS HAVE DUCKING OUT OF SHOT. WE BRING AN HOUR BRIDGET MORTON WHO IS A SENIOR ADVISER FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY. WHAT DOES NATIONAL KEEP DOING WRONG WITH THESE LEADERSHIP SELECTIONS? I THINK WHAT'S CLEAR IS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE A DEFINITIVE CHOICE TODAY OR IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS ABOUT WHO THE LEADER WILL BE GOING INTO THE NEXT ELECTION. THERE IS NO APPETITE FOR AN INTERIM LEADER. THAT HAS BEEN GOING AROUND FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COLLINS COULD CONTINUE HER ACTIONS. HOW MUCH ANIMOSITY HAS BEEN SIMMERING BEHIND-THE-SCENES WHICH WE HAVE NOT SEEN? I THINK THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE ANIMOSITY AND A LOT OF THE ACTIONS THAT COLLINS HAS TAKEN IN TERMS OF HOW SHE HAS DEALT WITH CAUCUS MEMBERS SHE BELIEVES HAS MISSED BEHAVED, HOW MEDIA HAS BEEN TREATED, SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AROUND POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT AND ALL OF THAT COMBINED WITH THE DECLINING POLL NUMBERS, WE HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH CHANGE THERE, THIS MEANS THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN WITHIN THE PARTY. AS BEEN CLOSE TO 4 HOURS NOW, HOW IMPORTANT YOU THINK IT IS THAT THEY HAZARD OUT AND GET THIS THING RIGHT? WITHOUT A DOUBT THEY HAVE TO DRAW A LINE UNDER THIS. THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD THE LEADER THEY WILL NEED AT THE NEXT ELECTION AND BY DOING THAT, MAKE USE OF THE TIME OVER SUMMER, WITH THE GOVERNMENT NOT DOING WELL OF THE MANY ISSUES, GET THEIR PROFILE UP. THANK YOU AT HOME FOR JOINING US ON THIS EXTENDED ONE NEWS ISSUE. SIMON DELLER WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY.