Azaria Howell: Newstalk ZB reporter on Stuart Nash commenting on National's Katie Nimon taking Parliamentary leave

Stuart Nash has blasted National MP Katie Nimon, claiming she took nine months leave after giving birth - and is the 'laziest MP' he's ever come across.

Nash made the claim in a text to former MP Chris Finlayson, who shared it on his podcast. 

Nimon, who's facing Nash in the Napier electorate this election, says she only took six months away from Parliament, and continued working full time in her electorate. 

Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says Nash's comments have sparked backlash, with Prime Minister Chris Luxon labelling the comments 'sexist'.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Bazaria, how newstalksz'd be senior political reporters with us.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Hello Isaria, Hello, good to be with you.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Stuart Nash is in a bit of trouble, is he.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yeah, and said first candidate you'll remember a former Cabinet
Minister for Labor in hot water over comments he made
about Napier MP Katie Nimman. Switt Nash texted former Senior
National MP Chris Finlayson, calling MP Katie Nimman one of
the laziest MPs he's ever seen. Finlayson revealed that on
the podcast Cross Party Lines that she'd taken nine months

(00:31):
off on full pay, went back for a week and
took another month off. Nash's running for the Napier seat
for New Zealand, first held by Katie Nimman, and Nimmen
denies what Stuart Nash says. That is worth noting. The
Prime Minister Chris Luxin was very strong speaking to media
on the tiles this afternoon about those remarks from Stuart Nash.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh, I think Stuart Nash channels the minisphere. I think
as comments around women have been quite derogatory over a
number of years. Frankly, and I can tell you Katie
Nimman is an incredibly hard working MP. She's a real
talent for this place, and most importantly, she is someone
who's taken parental leave as you would reasonably expect, as
I have encouraged her to do so. And I think
those are comments that for Wins and Peter's to ask

(01:12):
her as to they appropriate from Stuart National Well.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Luxon also said he thought it was sexist and also
said he thought every woman in the country would understand
that those comments are sexist and grossly inappropriate. National MP
Chris Bishop also echoing the sentiment of the PM.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Last time I checked, he was booted from cabinet for
leaking secret information to his donus So and I'm sorry,
I mean the list said about I mean that Stuart
Nation needs to take that kind of misogynistic behavior and states,
I mean, that's just disgusting.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
And the Greens co leader Madame and Davidson also very
critical of Nash as well.

Speaker 5 (01:50):
Not surprised, pretty vulgar. This is not the conversation that
we should be upholding as politicians and the undermining year
of women. Surely Stuart Nash has had enough of undermining women.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Nikola willis also very strong in her criticism of those comments.

Speaker 6 (02:08):
That is a disgusting comment and frankly makes him a dinosaur.
That is the sort of relic comment from the past
that I would not expect from a contemporary New Zealander.
He may think that he's operating in some sort of
US menisphere where women are there to be denigrated, but
that is not the New Zealand that I expect to
see in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well Nationals Mark Mitchell said it was atrocious. Willis also
saying she expects voters will send a clear message about
this quote as well. You need to go back to
the nineteen twenties because they need their ignorant man back.
Chris Bishop also posted on social media calling Stuart Nash
a quote sexist dickhead. Will judging on these responses, it's

(02:48):
fair to say and Peace from across the house are
offended by what's been said. This also comes after Stuart
Nash based some scrutiny last year over his response to
the question what is a woman? You might remember that
he answered it with some slang terms referring to female genitalia.
Stuart Nash was then kicked off a trade delegation for
those remarks then swore it the Trade Minister over it.

(03:10):
That was last year. We're in an election year this year.
He's talked just recently at New Zealand First's campaign event,
one of their most high profile candidates, and we're also
waiting for official comment from enzed First about those remarks,
although Casey Costello said it's not something she'd ever say,
and also says if I was working with him, I'd

(03:30):
ask him to reconsider how he says things.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
Okay, now, the Climate Change Commission reckons we're not going
to meet any of our targets.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Right.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
That's no surprise at all, is it.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, it's not really a surprise, but I think it's
being spelled out more clearly now than maybe it has
in the past. The government facing that scrutiny as the
Climate Commission report that's come out shows New Zealand's at
risk of missing all of its climate change targets. Now
that Commission report says that the risk is in increased
since it recommended more action last year, So it seems

(04:03):
a bit more sort of doo Marie, shall we say,
than it has been in the past. It now warns
the time available to correct course is short The Commission's
report also says climate disruption is growing things like severe weather.
It describes the country's climate goals as being at risk,
specific concern about the methane reduction target. Minister for Resources

(04:24):
Shane Jones says he does think that responses to climate
change will play a key part of election campaigns. The Greens, though,
as you'd expect, quite outraged about this, They say more
should be done. Shane Jones, though, appears to be signaling
that this will definitely not be the last time we
hear this climate debate on the campaign trail.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Azariah, thanks very much, Zaria how News Talk z'b senior
political reporter.

Speaker 4 (04:48):
For more from Hither Duplicy Allan Drive, listen live to
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