![\"Barbara](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JPGGE0_Barbara_Edmonds_and_Nicola_Willis_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nLabour’s finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
\nPhoto: RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Labour’s finance spokesperson has apologised to the Finance Minister after audio of her calling Nicola Willis a “duck-faced horse” was leaked to media.<\/p>\n
Barbara Edmonds told RNZ she got it wrong, and feels “absolutely terrible about it.”<\/p>\n
The comment was made during a question and answer session at a Labour Party candidate list conference at the weekend, and was designed to test MPs about difficult questions that may be put to them, or questions that didn’t make sense.<\/p>\n
Various candidates can be heard, including sitting MP Kieran McAnulty.<\/p>\n
During the exercise, a random question was used that might be put to an MP, and the task for candidates was to respond in a way that may allow them to present Labour’s political messaging instead.<\/p>\n
The question posed in the exercise was “would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?”<\/p>\n
McAnulty can be heard responding by saying “I don’t know how many duck-shaped horses, or whatever the hell the question was,” before carrying on to make a point he wanted to make – that may have nothing to do with the question.<\/p>\n
Another candidate is heard saying “100 duck-shaped horses, one horse shaped – has duck” as another voice chips in correcting him that it was “size”.<\/p>\n
When it was her turn to respond, Edmonds said “every week I have to stand up in the house and ask a duck-faced horse – did I get that right [laughs] – questions every single week.”<\/p>\n
Edmonds told RNZ she “clearly said it wrong” and there was no one else at fault, “I take accountability for it.”<\/p>\n
“I absolutely feel terrible about it, and I do apologise for any offence that it caused.<\/p>\n
“Especially to the Minister of Finance. That was not my intention, and I apologise for it.”<\/p>\n
She said she got the question “muddled” and should have written it down.<\/p>\n
She acknowledged there was some irony in muddling up a question in a question and answer session, but said the lesson was to always write down the question.<\/p>\n
“I didn’t have a pen and paper with me, but ultimately it’s my mistake, I muddled it, and I apologise for any offence that it caused.”<\/p>\n
When asked for a response, a spokesperson for the Finance Minister said she had no comment to make.<\/p>\n