Winston Peters says Michael Laws' future with NZ First is undecided

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has promised there will be consequences for candidate Michael Laws following sexist remarks made about Opportunity Party members. Peters described the comments as "disgusting" and "unacceptable". Because the election is only days away, Peters stated that the party must defer any formal decisions until after the election.

Laws, an Otago regional councillor running in the Waitaki electorate, made the remarks on his Platform radio show. He targeted Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong and candidate Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. Laws described Kingdon-Bebb as "rather severe-looking" and made comments regarding what it might be like to date her.

Laws issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon saying his commentary was intended to be "mischievously humorous". He noted he had been reprimanded by his party leader and had accepted that reprimand. Winston Peters later described the incident as a "silly mistake" involving words Laws had never used before.

The comments drew condemnation from various political figures, including National leader Christopher Luxon, who ruled out Laws serving as a minister in a future government. Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong called for Laws to stand down, stating his language was "awful" and "misogynistic". Former New Zealand First MP Ria Bond also criticised the remarks, calling them "deeply degrading".

How it developed

• Thu 5 Nov, 1:51pmFormer MP Ria Bond expressed concern that Peters' response minimises the public sexual humiliation of women.

Where reports differ

• Laws described his comments as being intended to be mischievously humorous, while others labelled them misogynistic and sexist.

Compiled from reports by RNZ, Otago Daily Times, NZ Herald and Stuff.