Labour's finance spokesperson has apologised to the Finance Minister after audio of her calling Nicola Willis a "duck-faced horse" was leaked to media.
By Lillian Hanly of RNZ
Barbara Edmonds told RNZ she got it wrong, and feels "absolutely terrible about it".
The comment was made during a question and answer session at a Labour Party candidate list conference at the weekend, and was designed to test MPs about difficult questions that may be put to them, or questions that didn't make sense.
Various candidates can be heard, including sitting MP Kieran McAnulty.
During the exercise, a random question was used that might be put to an MP, and the task for candidates was to respond in a way that may allow them to present Labour's political messaging instead.
The question posed in the exercise was "would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?"
McAnulty can be heard responding by saying "I don't know how many duck-shaped horses, or whatever the hell the question was," before carrying on to make a point he wanted to make - that may have nothing to do with the question.
Another candidate is heard saying "100 duck-shaped horses, one horse shaped - has duck" as another voice chips in correcting him that it was "size".
When it was her turn to respond, Edmonds said "every week I have to stand up in the house and ask a duck-faced horse - did I get that right [laughs] - questions every single week".
Edmonds told RNZ she "clearly said it wrong" and there was no one else at fault, "I take accountability for it."
"I absolutely feel terrible about it, and I do apologise for any offence that it caused.
"Especially to the Minister of Finance. That was not my intention, and I apologise for it."
She said she got the question "muddled" and should have written it down.
She acknowledged there was some irony in muddling up a question in a question and answer session, but said the lesson was to always write down the question.
"I didn't have a pen and paper with me, but ultimately it's my mistake, I muddled it, and I apologise for any offence that it caused."
When asked for a response, a spokesperson for the Finance Minister said she had no comment to make.
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