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Helen Clark increased her security after a member of the Exclusive Brethren accosted her in Parliament before the last election, her staff has said.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister revealed the incident after National accused her of hypocrisy, saying she had criticised opposition MPs for meeting members of the sect while she had done the same herself.
The Government fiercely attacked National MPs for meeting Brethren members after the uproar over their campaign against Labour and the Greens in the last election.
National tried to turn the tables yesterday after the church's spokesman, Tony McCorkell, said Miss Clark had asked for a 2003 Brethren policy document "after meeting Brethren members".
National's deputy leader Bill English said: "Helen Clark's meeting with the Brethren would be part of the normal business of politics if it wasn't for her breathtaking hypocrisy."
But Miss Clark's spokesman said last night there had been no scheduled meetings with Brethren members.
He said: "She was accosted in Parliament's lobby and she decided to increase her security after that, now she is escorted by the DPS (Diplomatic Protection Squad) to stop the Brethren approaching her like that.
"He tried to stop her. He got quite close. At the same time they were ringing the office incessantly demanding a meeting, which obviously never happened."
The spokesman said there had been other times when Brethren members had approached Miss Clark at public meetings.
"There was one occasion in the Nelson area when she found herself surrounded by them. She extricated herself by asking them to send her any documents they had."
- NZPA
