By Patrick Gower
ACC Minister Judith Collins came under pressure in Parliament today to explain if she had any involvement in ACC's decision to go to the police.
And after two days of saying she couldn't recall, her memory came flooding back.
Then late this afternoon 3 News obtained a police record that added something that Ms Collins’ memory had omitted.
So what discussions did she have with ACC bosses about taking Michelle Boag and Bronwyn Pullar to the police?
Labour MP Andrew Little is curious.
“Did she in any of these meetings or discussions either suggest encourage or agree to ACC laying the complaint?” he asked.
Ms Collins explained the first she heard was when the story broke the morning of Tuesday March 13, and she got a text.
“I had a text from Ralph Stewart. That day, Mr Stewart referred it to the police. I had no discussions with him about referring it to the police.”
End of story? Well not quite, because for two days Ms Collins couldn't recall if she'd had discussions about going to the police.
On Tuesday she said, “I couldn't tell you off the top of my head,” and “I’m not going to speculate on that.”
On Wednesday she said, “Well, I don't recall that I ever have.”
But she could recall today.
“I guess she's been under a little bit of pressure and her memory has been a little faulty under those circumstances,” Green MP Kevin Hague says.
A police statement has raised fresh doubts about Collins' claims, showing yes, ACC did go to the police straight away on the Tuesday, but the extortion complaint against Ms Boag and Ms Pullar wasn't lodged until three days later meaning there was time for her to discuss it with the ACC bosses, as alleged by the Opposition.
The statement said: "On Tuesday March 13th there was contact between ACC and Police regarding a privacy matter. On Friday 16th March there was further contact between ACC and Police regarding a matter of a potential criminal nature. A formal complaint was received by Police from ACC on Monday 19th March."
3 News