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Arriving in Parliament on Tuesday before the dismissal of those who lost their jobs, Lee was emotional.
“At the moment, I have made the cut. I told a friend of mine yesterday, I said, I’m not really sure if I can really celebrate because there are so many of my good colleagues who are leaving. I’m getting excited,” Lee told journalists.
When asked who she was going to miss the most, the deputy, who is based in Mt Albert, paused for a moment, crying. He raised his hand smiling: “Short.”
“Um, there are so many. Too many to mention,” he said.
Lee was one of the national MPs who commented on the shame of losing so many colleagues.
David Bennett, who lost his seat in Hamilton East but remains in Parliament on the list, said it was going to be a tough day.
“It is going to be very sad to see the departure of many great parliamentarians, colleagues and friends,” he told the media.
Matt Doocey said it was a “sad day” and that those who were leaving were “very good people.”
Outgoing MP Tim Macindoe noted that several “outstanding colleagues” were going to be “sadly … walking through the door with me.”
He accused party members who had been leaking, saying it was his fault that many of the national deputies had lost their jobs.
“Get in shape or surf. Don’t be left thinking that you are somehow promoting the interests of the party by behaving in that despicable way. You have cost several people their jobs,” he said.
Lee said the leaks must stop.
“That’s something I’m really angry about. New Zealanders would be very disappointed in us. We just seem like politicians who can’t really stick together.”
Among others to condemn the leaks to the media was Party Whip Barbara Kuriger.
“I think there is no place in our caucus for anyone who has a leak … Yesterday I stood in front of the staff while the whip and I say, look, our resources are shrinking. Some of them have lost their bosses. The leakers have not. they think about that kind of thing, “he said.
Your message to them: “Just stop, get fit, or get out.”
“We don’t have room for that kind of behavior. We’re only going to win if we’re a team. I’m focused on 2023. Everyone who stays in that room should be focused on 2023. That’s where we have to go.”
Matt King, the national candidate for Northland whose control over the electorate is currently on the razor’s edge before special votes, was blunt with his message.
“Go ahead and tell us who you are so we can kick you out.”
Dan Bidois, who has lost his Northcote seat to Labor, also believes the leakers should take the lead and walk away.
“Fostering a culture where people can get away with it is unacceptable. That will certainly be a talking point for today.”
National says goodbye to 12 MPs after the elections. Five of them, Harete Hipango, Jonathan Young, Tim Macindoe, Lawrence Yule and Dan Bidois, lost their electorate to Labor.
Seven of them, Alfred Ngaro, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Parmjeet Parmar, Brett Hudson, Jo Hayes, Agnes Loheni and Paulo Garcia, have not returned to the list due to the poor result of National.
One of the biggest leaks of the election campaign was when an email from MP Denise Lee to her colleagues was released to the media. National leader Judith Collins revealed Sunday that the leak cost the party about 5 percentage points.
However, the leaks have not stopped. One MP said Monday there will be a “very thorough and frank autopsy” and another said it is “very, very unlikely” that Collins will lead the party to the 2023 election.
Although she is determined to stay. Many of the MPs Tuesday morning said they were 100 percent behind Collins.
“We have to support the leadership. The worst possible thing would be to start pulling out the knives at this point. Judith did a very good job under extraordinarily challenging circumstances,” Macindoe said.
Kuriger said the leadership team was not responsible for the poor result.
“No, because we have had three different forms of leadership this year. We have had many other incidents as well. Former presidents, former board members, outgoing MPs, the leakers.
“Judith had very, very little time to pick us up. I admire him every day. He came out with a smile on his face. We knew we were against it, we were going uphill.”
Collins said Sunday the game will get a solid review.
