Jacinda Ardern apologises for calling David Seymour an 'arrogant prick'

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has officially apologised for calling ACT leader David Seymour “an arrogant prick”.

Her remark on Tuesday was caught on a Parliament microphone as she sat down after responding to a series of questions from Seymour.

Seymour had asked Ardern 10 questions during question time, canvassing issues from hate speech to Three Waters. He finished the question line by asking her to “give an example of her making a mistake, apologising for it properly, and fixing it?”

Ardern responded with an example about MIQ, then sat down. Hansard, the official record of Parliament’s debates, then reported that she then said: “He's such an arrogant prick.”

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Shortly afterwards, Ardern texted Seymour to apologise.

On Wednesday, she officially apologised in the House.

“I am aware that comments I made in the House yesterday in regards to the leader of the ACT Party were recorded on the Hansard,” she said.

“On that basis, I wish to formally, in this House, withdraw and apologise.”

Seymour confirmed Ardern had apologised on Tuesday.

“Jacinda Ardern texted me and said: I apologise. It's not something I should have said. And she said: As my mum would say, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all. I agree with the sentiment and it's all good,” he said.

After Ardern formally apologised in Parliament, a raucous final question time for the year ensued.

One of the first questions of the day came from Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi, who stirred a bit of trouble by asking Ardern: “Does she stand by all her Government’s statements, even though yesterday’s one was a little bit true?”

Ardern, along with many MPs – other than the ACT Party ones – burst into laughter before Speaker Adrian Rurawhe interrupted. He said Waititi’s phrasing of his question was “very unhelpful”.