Long-time National MP Judith Collins has emerged victorious in tonight's leadership vote and is determined to win back the treasury benches come September 19. Video: Chris Tarpey / Mark Mitchell
Dunedin MP Michael Woodhouse says he will not be following in Todd Muller's footsteps and stepping down.
"My focus is entirely on the next 10 weeks," said Woodhouse, one of two southern MPs at the centre of a political maelstrom for the past week which ultimately culminated in Muller's resignation as leader of the National Party yesterday.
Woodhouse would not speculate about whether he thought events involving him last week had a bearing on Muller's decision.
"My priority at the moment is to wish Todd and his family all the very best at what must be a tremendously difficult time for them.
Todd Muller stood down as National Party leader on Tuesday morning, citing family and health reasons. Photo / Andrew Warner
"It shows that politics can be a very pugilistic process, and I'm not prepared to connect one week with the next."
Muller's resignation comes after a week spent dealing with actions, or inactions, of Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker and list MP Woodhouse.
Walker told Muller that he had been responsible for the leak of Covid-19 patient's details to media outlets — a leak Muller had been vigorously attacking the Government over as an example of its lax handling of border issues.
Muller then discovered that Woodhouse had also received similar information to Walker's, from the same source — former party president Michelle Boag.
The source of the leaked Covid patient information, Michelle Boag, has resigned from the National Party. Photo / Brett Phibbs, file
While Woodhouse did not use the information or pass it on to anyone else, questions were asked about why Woodhouse did not reveal sooner that he had received the information.
Muller was also under scrutiny about whether he had answered correctly when quizzed by media about what he himself knew about the MPs' dealings with Boag, and when.
Woodhouse said he was stunned when he received the news of Muller's resignation early yesterday morning, and he had no inkling it was coming.
"We were shocked this morning. I don't think that's overstating it."
Until last week's problems, as a senior MP and former Cabinet minister Woodhouse might have featured in a debate about the membership of National's future leadership team.
Yesterday, Woodhouse — a loyal supporter of former party leader Simon Bridges — would not comment on his own prospects, of those of his former leader, or any other MP.
"There is a replacement process going on and the important thing is that we get through that as quickly as we can, then regather and focus on the next 10 weeks."
Retiring Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie said the party's leadership coup in May was a mistake and Bridges should have remained as leader.
Dowie said the situation was unfortunate and she was sad for Muller.
Sarah Dowie says the Muller coup was a mistake. Photo / James Allan
She would not say who she backed to take over as leader, instead saying: "I've got to consider the options."
