NZ politicians read the meanest tweets they've been sent

  • 16/09/2017

The country's most senior MPs have shared some of the nastiest criticisms they've received over social media, in a hilarious video produced by the University of Auckland's Public Policy Club.

The clip - which features the leaders of National, the Māori Party, the Greens, the Opportunities Party and ACT, alongside a number of those parties' senior figures - was shared on Facebook on Saturday morning.

"This election has had its twists and turns, but one thing remains constant - people trolling politicians on Twitter," the video's caption reads.

"The Public Policy Club is delighted to present 'NZ Politicians Read Mean Tweets': a showcase of some of the best (and worst) tweets about your favourite politicians, read by the politicians themselves."

The idea to get well-known figures reading mean tweets about themselves was popularised by late-night US talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live, whose creators first did it in 2012.

The hilarious video features two clips of National leader Bill English, who is criticised for the smell of his breath and described as "flat, boring and unsuitable for building housing".

Green Party leader James Shaw was told to "f**k off and be stupid in private", while Labour's Chris Hipkins was ridiculed for his likeness to iconic comic book character Tintin.

The Māori Party's Te Ururoa Flavell got a laugh from co-leader Marama Fox over the mockery of his greying beard - and TOP's Gareth Morgan was told by one tweeter they would "eject myself into the sun" if his party got any seats in Parliament.

Possibly the best tweet of the video is read by National MP Gerry Brownlee. The Transport Minister was told: "Disasters come in threes: two quakes and Gerry Brownlee."

Newshub.