# Michael Laws apologises for sexist comments after Winston Peters tells him off > NZ First candidate Michael Laws apologises for sexist remarks after party leader Winston Peters reprimands him. - Title: Michael Laws apologises for sexist comments after Winston… - Summary: NZ First candidate Michael Laws apologises for sexist remarks after party leader Winston Peters reprimands him. NZ First candidate Michael Laws unreservedly… - Keywords: michael laws, winston peters, opportunity party, nz first, chris hipkins, national, labor, chloe swarbrick, act, jenny marcroft, nicola willis, sexist comments - Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2026-michael-laws-apologises-for-causing-offence-after-winston-peters-tells-him-off-for-sexist-comments/UX4RSQJRRJDJDBKWG5FCHDRDPU - Read time: 2 min - Topics: michael laws, winston peters, opportunity party, nz first, chris hipkins, national, labor, chloe swarbrick, act, jenny marcroft, nicola willis, sexist comments ## Apology for sexist remarks Michael Laws unreservedly apologises for comments made about Opportunity Party female candidates after Winston Peters told him off. > i’ve got this to say. commentary on my daily platform show last week, which intended to be mischievously humorous, has obviously 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 ## Comments made on radio show Laws compared Opportunity Party candidates to primary school teachers, commented on hemlines, called them 'stern' and 'princesses', and questioned what their faces would look like 'post-sex'. > she was every officious primary school teacher, female, that i’ve ever come across in my life. that’s where i’d seen her before that was the demeanor. severe, disapproving ## Winston Peters' response Peters said Laws' comments went too far and he would tell him off for making inappropriate remarks as a candidate. > he said what i’ve just said, that my commentary went too far and that i should not have made those observations ## Jenny Marcroft's stance NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft agreed with Peters that Laws' comments were inappropriate and would not comment further. > well, winston’s already made a comment, that it was inappropriate, and i agree with him on that, so that’s all i have to say ## Christopher Luxon's reaction Luxon ruled out working with Laws in any future coalition government, calling the comments 'stupid' and inappropriate. > exactly same situation, stupid comments, inappropriate comments and as a result someone like that can’t be a minister in my government, it’s as simple as that ## Nicola Willis's response Labour's Nicola Willis called Laws' comments 'disgusting' and 'nasty', saying they were from 'another era'. > it’s from another era; he should go back to noah and the ark ## Chlöe Swarbrick's criticism Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick called Laws' comments 'nonsense' and said New Zealanders deserve 'so much better'. > it’s just gross. we stand in opposition to this government that is the most anti te tiriti, anti worker, anti women government that we have seen in a generation ## David Seymour's reaction Act leader David Seymour called Laws' comments 'gross and stupid' and said they revealed NZ First's true culture. > it’s gross and stupid. not one day has gone past where i have regretted ruling out working with new zealand first ## Barbara Edmonds' response Labour's finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds called Laws' comments 'disgusting' and said he was out of touch. > i am a wahine politician and the fact that he described us in the way that he did just shows how out of touch he is ## Chris Hipkins' statement Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Laws should be 'nowhere near Parliament' and NZ First shouldn’t be in government. > not one day has gone past where i have regretted ruling out working with new zealand first, because this is what they actually believe ## Laws' comments context Laws made the comments during a radio show segment after sharing a stage with Opportunity candidate Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. > she was a rather severe-looking woman, who did not like me from the moment she saw me, just from her body language ## Opportunity leader's reaction Opportunity leader Quilae Wong said Laws' comments 'make my skin crawl' and he is not fit to be a politician. > to be honest, it makes my skin crawl and i don’t think someone like that should be standing as a candidate ## Wong's stance on broadcasting Wong said it was inappropriate for Laws to claim the comments were made as a radio host, not as a candidate. > i think that shows that we need much stronger broadcasting standards if he’s allowed to say that to tens of thousands of people online with no repercussions ## Laws' list position Laws is number six on the NZ First list and virtually assured of a return to Parliament. > laws is number six on the nz first list and virtually assured of a return to parliament ## Peters' position on comments Peters said Laws would be told off for making comments that were not acceptable for New Zealand First. > i’ve made it very clear, it’s not acceptable and he will be told so ## Key takeaway NZ First candidate Michael Laws unreservedly apologises for sexist comments about Opportunity Party female candidates after Winston Peters told him off for the remarks.