Jacinda Ardern's "arrogant prick" comment earns thousands for charity

WELLINGTON: A signed transcript of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calling an opposition lawmaker an "arrogant prick" raised 100,100 New Zealand dollars (US$62,950) for charity, reported Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

Ardern was caught uttering the derogatory term about ACT Party leader David Seymour under her breath during a debate in parliament on Dec 13.

Her comment, for which she later apologised, was picked up on her microphone and included in the Hansard, the official parliamentary record.

Seymour and Ardern decided to print the Hansard, sign it and offer it up for auction to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

The auction attracted 282 bids and was online website Trade Me's most popular auction of the year, with more than 435,000 views.

"The funds will go towards raising money for pricks everywhere," Seymour said.

President of the charity Danny Bedingfield said the "amazing auction" would make a "huge difference" to men and their families living with the cancer.

"Also a massive thanks to those who donated to the Foundation when the auction got out of their budget," he said.

-- BERNAMA