# NZ First MP Michael Laws' sexist remarks spark political backlash

> NZ First MP Michael Laws' sexist comments about Opportunity Party members trigger national political reactions.
- Title: NZ First MP Michael Laws' sexist remarks spark political…
- Summary: NZ First MP Michael Laws' sexist comments about Opportunity Party members trigger national political reactions. NZ First candidate Michael Laws faced…
- Keywords: michael laws, nz first, opportunity party, chris luxon, national party, election 2026, sexist remarks, cabinet role, hung parliament, taxpayers union, NZ Herald
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-live-updates-nz-first-candidate-michael-laws-makes-sexist-remarks-about-opportunity-party-members/IJVXBSRTIVAQNKOLZXC54MS6LU
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: michael laws, nz first, opportunity party, chris luxon, national party, election 2026, sexist remarks, cabinet role, hung parliament, taxpayers union, politics, news
## Election campaign final week
It's the final week of the election campaign and parties are under pressure to pull out all the stops before voting closes on Saturday.
## Over a million votes cast
More than one million Kiwis have already cast their votes ahead of Saturday's election, accounting for more than a quarter of those enrolled.
## Michael Laws' sexist remarks
NZ First candidate Michael Laws has copped condemnation from across the political spectrum after he made sexist comments about some women in Opportunity.
## Christopher Luxon rules out Cabinet role
National Party leader Christopher Luxon has ruled Laws out from holding a Cabinet role in any coalition government he leads.
## Hung Parliament poll results
The final Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll before the election shows a hung Parliament, with neither the left or right bloc securing more than 60 seats each.
## Laws' comments on The Platform
Before New Zealand First MP Michael Laws apologised for his comments, he spoke about the relevant _NZ Herald_ article on his lunchtime show on The Platform.
## Laws' sexist remarks explanation
Laws said he was 'at war with the Opportunity Party' and 'with the New Zealand Herald' after reading an editorial describing a candidates' debate in Wānaka.
## Laws' response to criticism
Laws claimed the reactions from the Greens and Opportunity Party were 'hilarious' and a 'self-parody', and praised Opportunity woman Qiulae Wong for her 'sense of entitlement'.
## Winston Peters' comments
Winston Peters called Laws' remarks a 'silly mistake' and said he 'used some silly words he never used before'.
## Katie Nimon's perspective
National MP Katie Nimon said NZ First's focus on gender distracts from economic policy, calling National the party 'focused on the economy'.
## Voting statistics
More than 1.25 million ballots have been cast ahead of Saturday's election as the fourth remaining day of voting nears its end.
## Electoral Commission data
The Electoral Commission said 1,250,057 votes were submitted between Labour Day (October 26) and yesterday (November 3), accounting for roughly one in three (33%) of those enrolled.
## Opportunity Party security issue
Opportunity is working to restore the security of the WhatsApp account of party leader Qiulae Wong after she was caught by a phishing hack.
## National's economic post correction
The National Party has removed a social media post about the economy after the _Herald_ asked about its accuracy.
## Key takeaway

NZ First candidate Michael Laws faced backlash after making sexist remarks about Opportunity Party members, with National leader Christopher Luxon ruling him out of coalition Cabinet roles.