Former Minister Andrew Bayly says a complaint was laid about him laying a hand on a staffer.
He says it was during a work discussion he's called 'animated' last Tuesday.
He's apologised to the staff member, and resigned as ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister, but he remains the MP for Port Waikato.
ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Bayly's got a reputation as an 'interesting' character - but he owned up to his mistake.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry so persis senior political correspondent. Hey Barry, A good afternoon.
Run Now, Andrew Bailey like interesting character, sort of odd character.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, you know, personally I like Andrey Bailey. I've always
found him. He's slightly gregarious, slightly awkward. You know, he's
accident prone. Clearly he shot his brother once on the
leg when they were lads climbing over a fence, so
he had a loaded gun. But look, he's he does
(00:29):
get into all sorts of trouble, doesn't he. And he
did recently at a winery, said he didn't have anything
to drink. And now he got into an argument and
animated discussion with one of his staff members, said that
he touched the shoulder. I'm not sure what it was,
male or female, but shoulder.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
But if they say there and them, you must assume
it's a female, no, because otherwise I'd.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Say he or the or they or whatever. I mean,
who knows in this binary world. Run you know, but look,
it was a contrite Andrew Billie, I must say, who
talked to the media today and was upfrunted about what
happened in his office last Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
We had an animated discussion and The point is that
at one point I put my hand on their upper arm,
and I've reflected on it and I've made a decision.
I've held myself to account, a personal account.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
This is my decision.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I think that it's important sometimes you reflect about your
own activities, and that's why I've made the personal decision.
To be honest, I would have had difficulty doing this
interview over the last couple of days. I've had to
talk my family and that's why I've made the decision,
and that's why we're announcing it today.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
See.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So he was obviously very upset about what had happened
and what a transpot pared and it's probably maybe is
more upset about the Prime Minister's reaction and accepting his
resignation straight away.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Wow that's right, yeah, yeah, O A bit odd bit
over side show over. I suppose the slow boat from
China off the coast of Tasmania now buried.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well it is, it's between now Tasmania and New Zealand.
These warships are and of course we now know on
Friday's airlines had to divert flights because they were firing
guns from the boats. And you know the fact is
that you would think that the Chinese would have the
(02:23):
common decency to let New Zealand know if flights are
going to be disrupted by their boats in the Tasman Sea.
Then you know, you would think it would be incumbent
on them to just give a bit of a heads up.
Apparently they gave a few hours notice, but that's not
enough when you've got aviation on that part of the world.
(02:44):
The former airline boss of course, Chris Luxon, he says
it would have been nice to have had some advanced notice,
certainly for the year travel which has now been redirected
because of the Chinese exercises.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
There's nothing illegal here in terms of are compliant with
international law. It's the same law that we rely upon
as we move around the world. But the issue for
us is we just think, you know, we'd appreciate a
little bit more advanced notice, particularly on what is a
busy air route, one of the busiest in the world,
that we've actually got a bit more time to respond
to that. Having said that, our civil aviation authorities are
(03:18):
well used to this. They are in a normal practice
in the aviation and maritime world. They have been coordinating
well across the Tasman and importantly, at no point have
New Zealand or Australian asset has been in any danger.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, so there you go.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Well, I wonder whether the Chinese actually thought that no
one was looking when they find, you know, Chris, it's.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
In one of their biggest warships.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
But I mean it's entirely possible they thought, well, you know,
New Zealand's navies at the bottom of the ocean. They're
not going to know what's going on, and the Australians
probably aren't looking, so let's just have a little fun
with them, you know, with the guns and see what happens.
And before they know it's it's diplomatic incidents.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
It's quite extraordinary, really, isn't it. Now?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
The gang crackdown. Barry, the government, it's quite happy with
how it's going.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, well have these seventy six patches. And I heard
you talking earlier Ryan that in fact, people aren't seeing
patches around the place. And I've got to say I've
locked out, have looked out deliberately when you see people
who are obviously gang members riding their monkey bar bikes
and you know, I haven't seen any patches. So certainly
(04:23):
it's having some sort of impact the political heavyweights, the
Prime Minister, the Minister of Police, the Minister of Justice.
They've been meeting today with the Gang Disruption Unit, which
is quite a pointed unit. The point that Luxon made
was that Tony has done in the past. There are
(04:43):
nine eight hundred gang members in New Zealand. Now they
make up one quarter of one percent of the population,
but commit a fifth of the serious crimes and murders
and a quarter of the firearms offenses. So our relatively
new Police Commissioner, Richard Ombers, he was there today saying
his troops are coping well with the new laws cracking
(05:05):
down on gangs.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
The feedback from my staff in relation to this new
legislation is that they are empowered and pleased to be
able to address criminal offending in front of them. That
relates to the wearing of gang insignia. And perhaps the
most satisfying reflection is that feedback we are getting from
the public who are telling us that they feel a
(05:25):
lot safer, They feel a lot freer from the intimidation
that has been experienced in the past when it comes
to gangs, and.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
You have to say, you know, it's good it certainly
is gang numbers. I mean they have grown, was a
point that was made to the police commissioner. They've grown
over the past here, but then they've identified new gangs,
so it gives the number maybe of pulse impression.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
There's always been problems with that list to Himn't.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
There Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, it's interesting a lot of our listeners that they've
been testing in to say, I've definitely noticed there are
a few gang members out there, less insignia and stuff,
but we've noticed this is somebody in particularly in Napier
and another in Autata that they're wearing white t shirts
and have got the tattoos out. So they're all but
which is something, isn't it. I mean that's progress. Yeah, well,
(06:16):
most certain is because it's changing a behavior and.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
They're sitting up and taking some notice. At least.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Barry Soper's senior political correspondent. You're on News Talks, there'd
be Richard Chambers, who is the police boss, is with
us after five point thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Barry so persis senior political correspondent. Hey Barry, A good afternoon.
Run Now, Andrew Bailey like interesting character, sort of odd character.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well, you know, personally I like Andrey Bailey. I've always
found him. He's slightly gregarious, slightly awkward. You know, he's
accident prone. Clearly he shot his brother once on the
leg when they were lads climbing over a fence, so
he had a loaded gun. But look, he's he does
(00:29):
get into all sorts of trouble, doesn't he. And he
did recently at a winery, said he didn't have anything
to drink. And now he got into an argument and
animated discussion with one of his staff members, said that
he touched the shoulder. I'm not sure what it was,
male or female, but shoulder.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
But if they say there and them, you must assume
it's a female, no, because otherwise I'd.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Say he or the or they or whatever. I mean,
who knows in this binary world. Run you know, but look,
it was a contrite Andrew Billie, I must say, who
talked to the media today and was upfrunted about what
happened in his office last Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
We had an animated discussion and The point is that
at one point I put my hand on their upper arm,
and I've reflected on it and I've made a decision.
I've held myself to account, a personal account.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
This is my decision.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I think that it's important sometimes you reflect about your
own activities, and that's why I've made the personal decision.
To be honest, I would have had difficulty doing this
interview over the last couple of days. I've had to
talk my family and that's why I've made the decision,
and that's why we're announcing it today.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
See.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So he was obviously very upset about what had happened
and what a transpot pared and it's probably maybe is
more upset about the Prime Minister's reaction and accepting his
resignation straight away.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Wow that's right, yeah, yeah, O A bit odd bit
over side show over. I suppose the slow boat from
China off the coast of Tasmania now buried.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Well it is, it's between now Tasmania and New Zealand.
These warships are and of course we now know on
Friday's airlines had to divert flights because they were firing
guns from the boats. And you know the fact is
that you would think that the Chinese would have the
(02:23):
common decency to let New Zealand know if flights are
going to be disrupted by their boats in the Tasman Sea.
Then you know, you would think it would be incumbent
on them to just give a bit of a heads up.
Apparently they gave a few hours notice, but that's not
enough when you've got aviation on that part of the world.
(02:44):
The former airline boss of course, Chris Luxon, he says
it would have been nice to have had some advanced notice,
certainly for the year travel which has now been redirected
because of the Chinese exercises.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
There's nothing illegal here in terms of are compliant with
international law. It's the same law that we rely upon
as we move around the world. But the issue for
us is we just think, you know, we'd appreciate a
little bit more advanced notice, particularly on what is a
busy air route, one of the busiest in the world,
that we've actually got a bit more time to respond
to that. Having said that, our civil aviation authorities are
(03:18):
well used to this. They are in a normal practice
in the aviation and maritime world. They have been coordinating
well across the Tasman and importantly, at no point have
New Zealand or Australian asset has been in any danger.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, so there you go.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Well, I wonder whether the Chinese actually thought that no
one was looking when they find, you know, Chris, it's.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
In one of their biggest warships.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
But I mean it's entirely possible they thought, well, you know,
New Zealand's navies at the bottom of the ocean. They're
not going to know what's going on, and the Australians
probably aren't looking, so let's just have a little fun
with them, you know, with the guns and see what happens.
And before they know it's it's diplomatic incidents.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
It's quite extraordinary, really, isn't it. Now?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
The gang crackdown. Barry, the government, it's quite happy with
how it's going.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, well have these seventy six patches. And I heard
you talking earlier Ryan that in fact, people aren't seeing
patches around the place. And I've got to say I've
locked out, have looked out deliberately when you see people
who are obviously gang members riding their monkey bar bikes
and you know, I haven't seen any patches. So certainly
(04:23):
it's having some sort of impact the political heavyweights, the
Prime Minister, the Minister of Police, the Minister of Justice.
They've been meeting today with the Gang Disruption Unit, which
is quite a pointed unit. The point that Luxon made
was that Tony has done in the past. There are
(04:43):
nine eight hundred gang members in New Zealand. Now they
make up one quarter of one percent of the population,
but commit a fifth of the serious crimes and murders
and a quarter of the firearms offenses. So our relatively
new Police Commissioner, Richard Ombers, he was there today saying
his troops are coping well with the new laws cracking
(05:05):
down on gangs.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
The feedback from my staff in relation to this new
legislation is that they are empowered and pleased to be
able to address criminal offending in front of them. That
relates to the wearing of gang insignia. And perhaps the
most satisfying reflection is that feedback we are getting from
the public who are telling us that they feel a
(05:25):
lot safer, They feel a lot freer from the intimidation
that has been experienced in the past when it comes
to gangs, and.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
You have to say, you know, it's good it certainly
is gang numbers. I mean they have grown, was a
point that was made to the police commissioner. They've grown
over the past here, but then they've identified new gangs,
so it gives the number maybe of pulse impression.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
There's always been problems with that list to Himn't.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
There Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, it's interesting a lot of our listeners that they've
been testing in to say, I've definitely noticed there are
a few gang members out there, less insignia and stuff,
but we've noticed this is somebody in particularly in Napier
and another in Autata that they're wearing white t shirts
and have got the tattoos out. So they're all but
which is something, isn't it. I mean that's progress. Yeah, well,
(06:16):
most certain is because it's changing a behavior and.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
They're sitting up and taking some notice. At least.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Barry Soper's senior political correspondent. You're on News Talks, there'd
be Richard Chambers, who is the police boss, is with
us after five point thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Listen live to News Talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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