National Party leader Judith Collins in Rotorua with Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / Andrew Warner
National Party leader Judith Collins in Rotorua with Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / Andrew Warner
Judith Collins admits she's not a particularly talented fisher woman, but the National leader once caught a pretty big halibut in Alaska.
The revelation came over a weak cup of tea during a visit to a composite tubing manufacturer in Rotorua which was used to make fishing rods before a pivot to fibre and resin technologies.
But Kilwell remains true to its rod roots and has plastered its workers' breakroom with fishing paraphernalia, which lends itself well to conversation about where Collins landed "the big one".
"It was enormous," she said gesturing to show it was indeed a pretty big fish.
"They're big flat fish sitting in the bottom of the gulf and they're enormously difficult to pull up because you've got this flat area that you're fighting the water wish, it's great fun."
After the factory tour, the National leader pulled the Herald aside to show off photos on her phone of the catch and this publication can confirm it really was an impressively large fish.
A halibut National leader Judith Collins caught on a trip to Alaska in recent years. Photo / Supplied
Another surprise of the day was during a visit to a pine factory when Collins was approached by Rick Ross, a young worker on his morning tea break.
"Rick, you look like you've got a question. This is worrying," Collins said.
"I was just wondering if I could sing you a little song," the 25-year-old said before giving a rendition of Kora's "Politician" which asks politicians to "make the right decisions for all of us".
Collins told Ross he'd no doubt be on the 6pm television news, followed by a call from New Zealand's Got Talent.
"Oh no, I'm just a machine operator," Ross said.
"You know what? That sounds awfully like Elvis saying that," she replied.
Collins was in the tourist hotspot for the day, to unveil National's $105 million tourism package which promises a national tourism festival, freedom camping regulation and a fund to help businesses in the sector build new attractions.
It would also create an accreditation process for private accommodation providers to become managed isolation facilities which could be booked by returnees and eventually international arrivals.
If elected, National would use its promised Infrastructure Bank to work alongside its proposed $100 million Tourism Accelerator Fund to give companies up to 70 per cent of a project deemed to grow tourism in the area.
Collins announced the policy at Secret Spot Hot Tubs in Whakarewarewa with tourism spokesman Todd McClay, who said National didn't have a number on how many jobs their package would create or save.
"We have an aim of saving every single job and the difference between National's plan and Labour's plan is that jobs will be saved here."
But despite National previously calling for a timeline on a transtasman bubble, their policy didn't include any detail on that besides "when they are safe to do so".
Collins said this was because they hadn't seen the health advice, and promised National would be more open with it than Labour had been.
Despite National still hovering around 30 per cent in the recent polls with almost two weeks until election day, Collins rejected this "might be the election that got away".
"Not at all, I think it's the New Zealand public worrying who's paying the bills and who will pay the bills."
National supporter Tina Marcel at Secret Spot Hot Tubs in Rotorua for the launch of the party's tourism policy. Photo / Amelia Wade
Before and after announcing the policy Collins spoke with party fans, some dressed head to toe in blue.
Tina Marcel turned up in a blue fedora, sequined blue T-shirt and Collins' book to get autographed before taking advantage of the foot baths after the event.
Collins also liked the look of the hot pools - though declined the invitation to take a soak.
