Former National Party leader Todd Muller’s health is improving, says Judith Collins.

Muller abruptly stood down as the party leader in mid-July, citing health issues.

Collins was then voted in as party leader following an emergency caucus meeting.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Collins said Muller would come back to parliament “when he’s well”.

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“I’ve said to him, if he can, that’s great. But he, as you know, has had quite a serious health issue and I’ve been speaking to him each week to check on how he’s going, and he’s really improving.

She said Muller knew he had a great place to come back to, and she wasn’t going to pressure him. She was confident he’d be up to the job on his return.

“People… sometimes do have health issues, and if they’re given the right assistance and support then they can overcome them.”

Muller announced his resignation as the leader of the National Party abruptly in July, surprising many. In a statement at the time he said: “It has become clear to me that I am not the best person to be leader of the Opposition and leader of the New Zealand National Party at this critical time for New Zealand.

“The role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective.”

On Wednesday, Collins visited a car sales yard in Lower Hutt to give a speech on the party’s “BusinessStart” policy, touting a “job-creation explosion”.

The policy would allow any worker who loses or lost their job after March 1 to receive a $1000 voucher for financial advice from the Government, access to $20,000 of their KiwiSaver retirement funds, another $10,000 in GST or provisional tax credits, and the waiver of the $130 Company Office registration fee.