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Leader of the National Party, Judith Collins, thanked MP Nick Smith following his retirement announcement this evening.

Mr Smith worked for fifteen different Ministers under four Prime Ministers and represented the Nelson region for the last thirty years.

Due to a current Parliamentary Services inquiry into an employment issue, he thought it was best to retire.

“Nick has been a dedicated MP to Nelson, and the wider New Zealand public for three decades. I would like to acknowledge his career and to wish him all the best for the future,” Ms Collins said.

“Nick became a Minister in 1996 and has held 14 portfolios since then including Conservation, Environment and Building and Housing.”

“He was a hardworking and extremely competent Minister in the Fourth and Fifth National Governments.”

He’d been one of the founding members of National’s BlueGreens group that worked to develop a pragmatic and sensible approach to New Zealand’s conservation estate and environmental issues.

Due to an ongoing investigation, no further comments could be made by the opposition leader.

“As there is an ongoing investigation into an employment dispute, it would be inappropriate to comment further on that matter,” Ms Collins said.

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