Parliamentary foes locked in verbal warfare

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has accused an MP of bullying staff during a prison visit, as clashes intensify with shadow minister Clayton Cosgrove.

Ms Collins has written to all MPs warning about behaviour during such visits, saying staff had raised concerns about an incident.

She refused to name the MP involved but Mr Cosgrove, Labour's corrections spokesman, has made a number of prison visits recently. The two have clashed frequently over the Corrections and Police portfolios.

Ms Collins said prison staff were concerned about the MP's "unacceptable level of rudeness" and "bullying", adding that the politician put himself at risk by not following instructions.

She refused to give details, saying she did not want to turn it into a political issue.

Mr Cosgrove said it was a smear "and if she is accusing me, she is a liar".

He said there had been no incident during his visits and called on Ms Collins to give details and name the MP.

Mr Cosgrove said Ms Collins was being a "control freak" and trying to restrict every MP's right of access to prisons.

Mr Cosgrove visited three Auckland prisons two days before Ms Collins sent her warning to MPs. He released an email from Corrections Association president Beven Hanlon that said how much the union appreciated his visits.

Ms Collins and Mr Cosgrove's most recent clashes have been characterised by her siding with management and him with the union.

Ms Collins called Mr Hanlon "the next Labour candidate for Tukituki" - a reference to work at Hawkes Bay Prison and his relationship with Mr Cosgrove - while debating details of a brawl in Ngawha Prison in Parliament this week.

Mr Cosgrove used a Corrections Association report that an officer had a nose broken, another dislocated a shoulder and broke a ball joint in her arm and another hurt her achilles.

Ms Collins responded with a Corrections management report saying the "supposed" broken achilles was a sprained ankle and the broken nose was a bloodied one.

Her rival said her descriptions were "inaccurate, offensive and insulting" to the injured staff.

The minister said Mr Cosgrove's version was a "complete over-rarking" of the incident.

HE SAYS, SHE SAYS

CLAYTON COSGROVE
Labels rudeness and bullying claim a smear. "And if she is accusing me, she is a liar".

JUDITH COLLINS
Says Cosgrove is guilty of "complete over-rarking" as he struggles to make impact.