Alleged Ponsonby gunman found dead, two Canterbury houses go up in flames and footage emerges of a terrifying airborne crash in the latest NZ Herald headlines.
Webb’s post also played on the near-homophones “hummus” and “Hamas”, the latter being a designated terrorist group and responsible for an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that sparked the current ongoing conflict.
In a statement, Hipkins said Webb’s post was a mistake.
“He realised it wasn’t good judgment and he apologised,” Hipkins said.
The post on X by Labour MP Duncan Webb on May 8 has since been deleted.
Graphic cartoon of Seymour posted by Labour MP
Webb’s post was the second instance in which Hipkins has had to speak to his MPs over inappropriate content about Seymour.
Last month, Hipkins made senior MP Peeni Henare take down posts from his social media showing a cartoon of Seymour with faeces coming from his eyes and an anus for a mouth. It was one of a series of posts spoofing the Garbage Pail Kids trading cards of the 80s.
Hipkins told Stuff: “It’s not appropriate and doesn’t add to positive political discourse. Criticism of a politician’s policies and priorities is a legitimate part of the democratic process. Personal denigration is not.
“I have asked Peeni to remove these posts and he has indicated he will do that,” he said.
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served "woke" foods. Image / Tina Tiller
Seymour, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, have had their likeness used in other outrageous content.
Soon after finishing coalition negotiations following last year’s election, a poster of the three leaders was stuck up in Wellington with their heads emblazoned on a cartoon penis.
A council spokesman confirmed to the Herald an instruction had been sent out for staff to remove the posters if they saw them.
Seymour told Newstalk ZB he hadn’t seen the poster but when given a description of what it was, he called it “pretty interesting”.
