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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been caught using a vulgarity against a rival politician in a rare misstep for a leader known for her skill at debating and calm, measured responses.
- The comment came after ACT Party leader David Seymour peppered Ms Ardern with questions for seven minutes
- Mr Seymour said the language was completely out of character for the prime minister
- In a text message to Mr Seymour, Ms Ardern apologised and said she should not have made the comment
After five years as prime minister, Ms Ardern faces a tough election campaign in 2023.
Her Labour Party won re-election two years ago in a landslide of historic proportions, but recent polls have put her party behind its conservative rivals.
The comment came after David Seymour, who leads the libertarian ACT Party, peppered Ms Ardern with questions about her government's record for about seven minutes during Question Time.
As an aside to her deputy Grant Robertson, Ms Ardern said what sounded like "he's such an arrogant prick" after sitting down.
Her words were barely audible on Parliament TV but were picked up in the background by her desk microphone as Speaker Adrian Rurawhe spoke.
Ms Ardern's office said she apologised to Mr Seymour for the comment.
When asked by The Associated Press to clarify, Ms Ardern's office did not dispute the comment.
In an interview with the AP, Mr Seymour said the prime minister had used those words.
"I'm absolutely shocked and astonished at her use of language," Mr Seymour said.
"It's very out of character for Jacinda, and I've personally known her for 11 years."
He said it was also ironic because his question to the prime minister had been about whether she had ever admitted a mistake as leader and then fixed it.
"And she couldn't give a single example of when she's admitted she's wrong and apologised," Mr Seymour said.
Mr Seymour said that in her text, Ms Ardern wrote that she "apologised, she shouldn't have made the comments, and that, as her mum said, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it."
Mr Seymour, who said he admired some of Ms Ardern's political skills immensely, said he had written back to Ms Ardern thanking her for the apology and wishing her a very merry Christmas.
AP