New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern clashes with AM Show host Ryan Bridge over Gaurav Sharma claims

Jacinda Ardern has been accused of being ‘shady’ by one of New Zealand’s top breakfast presenters – who claimed the prime minister tried to use a natural disaster to sidestep allegations from within her own government.

AM Show host Ryan Bridge grilled Ms Ardern about serious allegations from rogue MP Gaurav Sharma in a fiery live television interview on Monday. 

Mr Sharma has since become the first New Zealand Labour MP to be expelled from the caucus in more than a decade after a fortnight of sensational but unsubstantiated claims.

On top of the party room crisis, Ms Ardern is also responding to a natural disaster after a week of wild weather brought widespread flooding and devastation to the South Island city of Nelson which has left many residents homeless.

During Monday’s interview, she smiled while dodging a series of tough questions before blasting Bridge for taking the focus away from the Nelson crisis.

Ryan Bridge (left) clashed with Jacinda Ardern (right) in a live television interview on Monday

‘I’m mindful that you’re here asking questions about one individual when I’m here surrounded by hundreds of people who have lost their homes,’ Ms Ardern said.

‘This should not be anyone’s focus right now. We should be going into mediation to resolve it in the proper place, in the proper way. It’s disappointing that offer has not been taken up.’

Bridge acknowledged the Nelson situation was very serious before accusing her office of being shady.

‘To imply that we shouldn’t be asking you about very serious accusations about your office on the basis that there’s been a tragedy in Nelson I think most people would find a little shady,’ he fired back.

Ms Ardern interrupted to claim she had been misunderstood.

‘No, no, no. That wasn’t a point about you. If I may, you misunderstand,’ she said.

‘My point was, to an MP to not take up the opportunity to go into mediation. That’s where we should be dealing with these issues.’

The New Zealand Prime Minister met with emergency responders in Nelson on Monday after a week of wild weather caused widespread flooding

Earlier in the interview, she was questioned about Dr Sharma’s claims government MPs were taught how to avoid public scrutiny before being asked if the rogue MP ‘was lying or made it made it up’.

‘Look, I’ve never in this situation repeated allegations that have been made and thought it would be beneficial for anyone to get into a tit for tat.’

‘That’s why we’ve left the door open for Gaurav to rebuild trust with his team and come back into a place where we can all focus on doing out job.’

Bridge has since been inundated with praise after the fiery moment with the prime minister went viral on TikTok.

‘This guy’s awesome!! Shuts her down every time,’ one viewer commented

Another added: ‘Maximum respect to Ryan, and a real gentleman about it.’

A third wrote ‘Ryan deserves a massive pay rise!’

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured on Tuesday) is dealing with a natural disaster on top of a party room crisis

She blasted the breakfast presenter from taking focus away from flood crisis in Nelson

Dr Sharma began a series of attacks on his own party on August 11 when he published an opinion piece in a national newspaper alleging ‘rampant bullying’ in New Zealand’s parliament.

He then sharpened and broadened his attacks, taking aim at Parliamentary Services for mismanagement, and Labour’s leadership for what he described as a culture of bullying.

Labour MPs voted to remove Dr Sharma, already suspended from the caucus, at a party room meeting on Tuesday.

Ms Ardern said Dr Sharma was expelled for ‘repeated and calculated breaches of caucus rules’ which ‘resulted in the complete loss of trust by his fellow Labour MPs’.

‘He has certainly made statements that are blatantly incorrect,’ Ms Ardern said on her way into Tuesday’s caucus meeting.

‘That makes me deeply uncomfortable.’

Dr Sharma is now considering whether to stay in parliament or leave early, triggering a by-election.

Gaurav Sharma is the first New Zealand Labour MP to be expelled from the caucus since 2010