16 Sep 2020

Judith Collins wants briefing on data collected on NZ politicians

From Morning Report, 7:29 am on 16 September 2020

Leader of the oppoisition Judith Collins wants Prime Minister Jacindar Ardern to give her a briefing on the accessing of the data of prominent New Zealanders.

Simon Bridges, Max Key, Jacinda Ardern's father, Iain Lees Galloway's daughter, Pita Sharples' wife along with other politicians, judges, diplomats, community leaders and senior public servants are all on a database amassed by a company believed to be used by China's intelligence service.

In total 800 New Zealanders have been found on the leaked data set.

Collins was not included in the set, nor was her family, but she said she wants to hear from the Prime Minister about any important information about the incident.

"She needs to let me know if she's got any information to provide to me," she told Morning Report.

Collins said the incident was concerning.

"I've always felt that we do not live in the benign strategic environment that Helen Clark told us we did."