'It looks like she doesn't really care': Labour slam Nicky Wagner over tweet

The picture Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner posted with her eyebrow-raising tweet. Photo / Twitter

Labour leader Andrew Little says he is stunned by a tweet by Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner - saying it looks like "she doesn't really care".

Wagner posted to Twitter last week that she'd rather be out on Auckland harbour than in disability meetings.

Busy with Disability meetings in Auckland- rather be out on the harbour! pic.twitter.com/1i9O86hvod

— Nicky Wagner MP (@nickywagner) June 15, 2017

After Special Educational Needs NZ posted its disgust on Facebook, the tweet gained more attention and Wagner today apologised for any offence caused.

In Auckland to open the Waterview tunnel, Prime Minister Bill English said Wagner had made a mistake, but was a strong advocate for the disability community.

"No one would believe that Nicky Wagner set out to be offensive to people with disabilities," English said.

Little said he was "frankly stunned" by Wagner.

"It is just so at odds with the way she should be discharging her responsibility it, frankly, beggars belief."

Labour has previously criticised Wagner after she strongly criticised Idea Services over a contract dispute in April, saying the operational arm of IHC New Zealand had been "totally irresponsible" and let down vulnerable clients.

Little said those comments combined with the controversial tweet made it look like Wagner "doesn't really care about disability issues, like she's just going through the motions".

Wagner told the Herald she had made a silly tweet with "a slip of the finger" but explained she didn't mean she didn't want to be at her meetings.

"We just thought 'wouldn't it be good to have our meeting on the harbour?'.

"I was surprised [with the reaction] it was a very innocent tweet. It was a beautiful day outside and we were inside."

I apologise for any offence I have caused to the disability community. That was not my intention.

— Nicky Wagner MP (@nickywagner) June 17, 2017

Wagner said she would not delete it out of fear that it would look worse. Otherwise she said she had a fantastic day meeting with the Murray Halberg Trust, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, the New Zealand Artificial Limb Service and EMA on disability issues.