Michael Laws says sexist remarks he made about an Opportunity rival were meant to be "wry and puckish", as the NZ First candidate today apologised but refused to say whether Winston Peters had asked him to step down.
Opportunity's Qiulae Wong has demanded Laws stand down as a candidate while National's Christopher Luxon has ruled him out of future ministerial portfolios in any coalition government he leads.
Laws has faced a backlash from party leaders, four days out from the election, over comments he made on air last week about candidate Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. He told 1News this afternoon he had personally apologised to Opportunity's Wellington Bays candidate.
On his online radio show on The Platform last week, Laws described her as “severe” and “disapproving”, and said: “It must be hell dating people like that."
The candidate said she reminded him of an “officious primary school teacher” and asked: “Can you imagine what it’s like post-sex? Did I say that out loud? Yes I did."
The radio host and former MP also commented on the length of her dress – "down to her calves" – and on how little makeup she wore.
Speaking to 1News on Wednesday afternoon, Laws said Peters had made it clear to him the remarks “went too far”.
“Commentary on my daily Platform show last week, which intended to be mischievously humorous, has caused offence, and I have been told off by my party leader, who has stressed that my commentary went too far. And I have accepted that reprimand.
“It was not my intent to cause offence, but to be wry and puckish in my observation. So, if people are offended, I apologise. It was not my intent to offend them,” he said.
Laws refuses to say if he considered remarks sexist
Asked what a reprimand meant, Laws said Peters was “unhappy with what I had to say".
“My judgement was poor, given the timing of everything, and what I considered to be observational humour was obviously offensive – I had no intent of doing so.”
Laws was asked several times whether Peters had asked him to resign or was happy for him to remain a candidate. Each time, he pointed back to his statement.
"I've got nothing more to add to that statement. In actual fact, I think it'd be fair to say that the answer to that question is in the statement that I've just given you."
He also would not say whether he considered the comments misogynistic or sexist.
“I can’t add too much more to the commentary I’ve just given you, which is to apologise for causing offence to those who were offended.”
Earlier today, Peters told reporters the language was “not acceptable” and that Laws would be “told off”. He also would not say whether the comments were misogynistic.
“No matter what the excuse, when you’re speaking on those programmes, even though you say you’re not speaking as a candidate, people will interpret that," he said.
"So it’s not good enough, not acceptable, and I’ll tell him so."
Opportunity raises the stakes
Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong said Laws should stand down as a candidate.
"Many female political candidates face violent sexist remarks on social media and Michael Laws is feeding that toxic culture. Do we really need him back in Parliament?"
She pointed to NZ First's former Napier candidate Stuart Nash, who stood down earlier this year amid comments about a woman taking leave to care for a baby.
Departure from the Napier electorate race isn’t enough for some, who insist he should apologise. (Source: 1News)
“I think these comments are far worse than that, and deserve at least the same kind of repercussions,” Wong said.
Nash also made his comments on The Platform online station.
Wong said today she would not rule out working with NZ First but noted it would be “very difficult for us to work with individuals that use that kind of language”.
Laws was asked by 1News whether his comments were sexist, including describing Opportunity women as "princesses” who went to private girls’ schools.
He said: “Mischievously humorous, wry and puckish was the intent. If they were offended by that, then it was not my intent to offend them.”
At first, Laws questioned what he had said about Wong that could have offended her.
"I didn’t realise that she was offended."
He said he had no way to contact Kingdon-Bebb or Wong directly. Laws told 1News he would contact them to apologise directly if he were given their numbers.
The NZ First candidate later confirmed he had reached out.
Opportunity is at 6% in the latest polls, and both blocs would need its support to govern, according to last night’s 1News Verian poll.
But leader Chris Hipkins believes they're gaining traction at just the right time. (Source: 1News)
Kingdon-Bebb said Laws’ remarks were “creepy and misogynist”.
"It’s unsettling to hear a candidate pontificating about the length of my dress. And those weren’t his seediest comments," she said in a statement.
National’s Nicola Willis called the comments “disgusting” and said they came “from another era”. “He should go back to Noah and the Ark,” she said.
Meanwhile National leader Christopher Luxon ruled out Laws holding a ministerial role in any government he leads.
“Stupid, absolutely stupid comments, he won’t be a minister in my government."
ACT leader David Seymour called the remarks “gross and stupid”.
“There are many issues I have with Opportunity, but we have a disciplined team in ACT that plays the ball, not the man or woman,” Seymour said.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Laws “has said the quiet part out loud”.
“This is what NZ First actually believes. This is the culture within NZ First,” Hipkins said.
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