The Labour MPs facing legal action from ACC Minister Judith Collins say they are seeking legal advice.
Ms Collins has confirmed she is taking defamation action against Radio New Zealand and the MPs Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little.
[image:4901:full]Mr Mallard will not comment on the details of the case, but says it is an attempt to gag members of Parliament.
Mr Little says Ms Collins's action diverts attention away from privacy breaches at ACC.
Radio New Zealand says it has received a letter from Ms Collins and is considering its response.
Prime Minister John Key says he backs his minister one hundred percent, as she embarks upon legal action.
The minister's defamation action concerns claims made over the handling of information about an ACC claimant.
The Privacy Commissioner is investigating, among other issues, how the name of Bronwyn Pullar, and information about her dealings with ACC, were leaked to a newspaper.
John Key says Ms Collins has given him an assurance the leak did not come from her, or her office.
The minister, Judith Collins, said on Thursday that untrue and defamatory statements have been made about her and she will take action under the Defamation Act.
Ms Collins denied she was trying to stifle debate around the issue.
"I've been very clear all along that I am one hundred percent certain there was no leak from me or from my office and I take my reputation extremely seriously. I've been defamed outside of the House and I'm taking action."
Ms Collins would not say whether the taxpayer will pick up the bill for the defamation action.
The Labour Party says it is not going to stop questioning how information about an ACC claimant was leaked to the media, despite the legal action against two of its MPs.
Labour's deputy leader Grant Robertson says the MPs are just doing their job and the legal action will not deter them from pursuing the issue further.
Minister needs thicker skin - Hague
Green MP Kevin Hague says the ACC Minister should be a bit more thick-skinned.
Mr Hague says as minister, Ms Collins should be able to handle this kind of scrutiny without recourse to legal action.
"It's not the kind of thing I would have done, I think it behoves a minister of the Crown to be accountable for her actions and to have a pretty thick skin when it comes to suggestions of misconduct or inappropriate decision making."
