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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says small political parties will always try to get media attention and he's not worried about ACT leader David Seymour's actions.
Seymour attempted to drive a Land Rover up Parliament's steps on Monday, and his of two criminal cases was also being questioned.
"Small parties are always going to try and get media attention - that's politics", Luxon told Morning Report. "That's what I've learned in the last four years. But I can tell you, I'm very focused on actually growing and driving the economy."
Later he reiterated he still had confidence in his future deputy, though other National MPs - including Chris Bishop and Mark Mitchell - were more cautious. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the prime minister had lost control of Seymour.
Earlier, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has added to the criticism of Seymour's letter of support for Philip Polkinghorne, who was later charged and then acquitted of murdering his wife.
"Ultimately I agree with the prime minister, of course, and I think he's formed a view that it was ill-advised for David Seymour to write that letter…
"And in terms of the publicity stunt earlier… I don't even know what it was publicising. We've got a bit of a lack of car parks on Molesworth Street at the moment, but I'm not sure the situation's so desperate that you needed to find a car park on Parliament's steps."
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