Simon Bridges speaks to media on Jami-Lee Ross, regrets calling MP's issues 'embarrassing'

National leader Simon Bridges says he regrets using the word "embarrassing" to describe MP Jami-Lee Ross' health issues.

"I regret it, I think it was a poor choice of words," Bridges told reporters in Tauranga today.

"As I clarified, and I've said now a number of times, I was simply saying that anyone, whether an MP or not, would prefer personal health matters are dealt with in that way rather than public."

He reassured the people of Ross' electorate of Botany that they still had an MP.

"Jami-Lee Ross will be doing some constituent work there and keeping in regular contact with his staff."

Bridges used the term "embarrassing" a number of times during a press conference on Tuesday to discuss Ross' decision to step away from politics for a few months.

Focus: National MP Jami-Lee Ross takes break from Parliament for 'personal health issues'

National Leader Simon Bridges announces that National MP Jami-Lee Ross has taken a break from Parliament for 'personal health issues'. ...

Video Player is loading.

Play Video

PlaySkip Backward

Mute

Current Time 0:00

/

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

0:00

Stream Type LIVE

Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE

Remaining Time -0:00

 

1x

Playback Rate

Chapters

• Chapters

Descriptions

• descriptions off, selected

Captions

• captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
• captions off, selected

Audio Track

Fullscreen

This is a modal window.

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

Text

ColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-Transparent

Text Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparent

Caption Area Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque

Font Size

50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%

Text Edge Style

NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadow

Font Family

Proportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps

Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone

Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

Liam Dann explains what to expect in Budget 2025

UP NEXT:

NOW PLAYING • Focus: National MP Jami-Lee Ross takes break from Parliament for 'personal health issues'

National Leader Simon Bridges announces that National MP Jami-Lee Ross has taken a break from Parliament for 'personal health issues'. ...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday she would not have used the word.

"We all get judged individually for the way we lead our own teams. I'm responsible for the way I lead mine and I hope I do that in a way that really does look after our team's wellbeing," she said.

She wished Ross well.

On Tuesday, Ross said in a statement he was taking some time off to focus on "personal health issues".

It was a decision that surprised Bridges, who told media it "came out of the blue".

Bridges has said Ross' decision was unrelated to an investigation into who leaked details of his travel expenses to the media.

The investigation commissioned from PwC by National, is expected to report back in as little as a week.

Bridges said today he expected it would be made public.