National leader Judith Collins on a review on the vetting process for party candidates. National Party leader Judith Collins said changes to the National Party's selection rules will include much stronger vetting of potential candidates' social media histories and more comprehensive reference checks. The National Party is due to meet later this month to vote on proposed changes to its internal rules after a string of problems with MPs and candidates, and a disastrous election result in 2020. Last week, there were allegations by an ex-partner of 2020 Upper Harbour candidate Jake Bezzant that Bezzant had impersonated her on social media, including using intimate photos of her. "I think that today's world with social media it is very important we have people going through social media checking on things.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 08, 2021 01:07 UTC