The National Party furore has sent New Zealand media into a frenzy, but there's also been a strong reaction from media
across the world.
Photo: SBS/Indian Weekender/Daily Post
A phone conversation recorded and released by former National member Jami-Lee Ross has sent waves across the world.
Calling a fellow National MP "f***ing useless" and talking about who else could go wasn't the only bombshell in the
telephone recording between party leader Simon Bridges and Mr Ross.
They also talked about dinner with businessman Zhang Yikun, a $100,000 donation, and potential candidates for the party
with comments about their ethnicity that have been labelled as "racist" and "ugly" by New Zealanders.
Mr Zhang's life has also been of interest to world media, with Associated Press reporting: "An autobiographical account
he wrote on an overseas Chinese website says his grandfather was a Thai businessman who returned to China. He was born
into a farmer's family and spent time in the army before migrating to New Zealand.
Zhang started out running restaurants but company registries show he later branched out into residential property and
construction."
World headlines:
Chinese media have also picked up on the National Party saga involving Chinese businessman Zhang Yikun.
In other New Zealand news that world media have picked up on, the country's crowning of "Bird of the Year" has left some
poking fun at the winner:
New Zealand just crowned this 'drunk, clumsy' pigeon as its 'bird of the year https://t.co/MEmedY3bJT— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 16, 2018
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The "clumsy, drunk, gluttonous and glamorous" kererū has been named New Zealand's 2018 #BirdOfTheYear https://t.co/Ujvh8JwWAw #NZBirdOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/zs2262r0i9— The Guardian (@guardian) October 15, 2018
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