Finance Minister Bill English has called on Labour leader David Cunliffe to apologise for misleading voters about his party's baby bonus policy.
English says Cunliffe said 59,000 families would be eligible for the $60 a week payment for the first year of a child's life - but they won't.
Cunliffe ran into trouble over Monday's announcement when it became clear a day later that the payment would not be made to families on paid parental leave.
People on paid parental leave would not get the baby bonus until the leave ended which, under Labour's policy, would be after 26 weeks.
Then they would only get it for six months. And the payment would not be made on top of the parental tax credit some families are eligible for.
English on Thursday denounced Cunliffe's handling of the matter.
"He went out and made a public statement that turned out to be wrong”.
Cunliffe quickly clarified the policy and on Thursday rejected suggestions that he had tried to mislead voters.
