Judith Collins calls herself a 'woman of colour' in deleted tweet

Judith Collins
Judith Collins Photo credit: Getty

Judith Collins has sparked controversy on Twitter after calling herself a "woman of colour".

The National MP made the comment in relation to a Bill introduced to Parliament to ban female genital mutilation. 

"MPs band together for female genital mutilation ban," wrote Collins. "I am a woman of colour - the colour white - and I fully support a ban on this mutilation inflicted on women."

The tweet was deleted fairly quickly, but not before it was saved on the Politwoops website.

One Twitter user wrote she deleted it "after realising just how silly it made her look".

Another reacted by posting: "Omg she deleted it! She had to. It was the best of tweets (it was the worst of tweets)".

The Bill Collins was referring to gave an updated definition to female genital mutilation in the New Zealand Crimes Act - clearly stating that no form of the practice is acceptable as it is an abuse of girls and women. 

The Bill was jointly sponsored by MPs from National, Labour, New Zealand First and the Green Party.

Collins' colourful comment wasn't the only time she caused a stir on Twitter this week.

On Tuesday she lashed out against a so-called lack of Government representation in Armistice Day memorials.

"Looked for it but found no acknowledgement by the current New Zealand Government that yesterday marked the 101 anniversary of Armistice Day," she tweeted. "Would be nice to not forget the contributions and sacrifice of past generations."

Apparently, she didn't look hard enough, though, with Labour MP Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki informing her that she was actually right next to her at the event.

"HELLO JUDE! I'm the Government! I was sitting next to you at the Papakura service," she tweeted back. "Lovely to have acknowledged Armistice Day together. Government and Opposition."

Her response wasn't received well by Collins, however, who replied:"No you're not".

Labour MP Clare Curran then weighed in to seek clarification, asking: "What is she then?"

"Labour MP. She is not 'the Government' as she claimed," Collins wrote.

"She's an MP in the Government as you know. Very disrespectful," replied Curran.

The Twitter exchange then came to an end, with Collins writing: "She is not 'the Government' any more than Clare Curran MP is, but Clare Curran was when she was a Minister #HappyToHelp".

Collins has been approached for comment about the tweets.