Around the world: Simon Bridges 'speaking inappropriately' tape making world headlines

Global headlines are shaming National leader Simon Bridges for calling his lawmaker "f**king useless" in the tape shared by Jami-Lee Ross.

While much of New Zealand media have been focused on the back and forth in-house battle between Bridges and Ross, international news outlets attention was on Bridges taped speaking "inappropriately" about his MP Maureen Pugh.

Media across the United States to the United Kingdom reported the embarrassing saga including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Guardian, the Independent and the Australian.

The report - picked up from the Associated Press - began revealing the "questionable remarks as turmoil in the conservative National Party" in a secret recording before mentioning that Bridges had apologised to Pugh.

Coverage also said Bridges had no intention of resigning after a former close colleague accused him of corruption, initiated a police investigation, and posted the embarrassing phone conversation on Facebook.

The AP coverage said the event had been startling to many New Zealanders who were accustomed to a restrained brand of politics.

"Observers say that such venomous infighting is almost unprecedented."

The talk of Ross telling Bridges that two men including Zhang Yikun donated $100,000 was also included in the coverage.

"Two Chinese would be nice, but would it be one Chinese and one Filipino, or what do we do?" Bridges asks. He talks about a possible "mercenary cull" and how he'd like two or three lawmakers to leave, including Pugh, AP reported.

Reports concluded with Bridges' response to those comments saying he was "simply trying to reflect the growing diversity in the community" and comments he made about Ross being "a terrible person".