Kerre Woodham: The consequences of Stuart Nash's ill-advised one liner

Now, long-time listeners will know that I have said, I do say, and I will undoubtedly in the future say stupid things. In a career spanning decades, we are talking live on stage or live on air, television or radio. When you're going for the snappy one-liner and you're pushing the language out and you're trying to be clever and you're trying to be funny, a lot of the time you're operating on instinct. You have to speak without thinking. I know you're not supposed to, but when you're doing live radio, live television, live on stage, you have to speak without thinking. So the potential for saying something offensive or stupid or both is very real. 

That does not excuse you from the consequences of saying something out of line. I've had to suffer them before. It just explains how it happens. So, while I can see how Stuart Nash came to make his ill-advised one-liner on what defines a woman, I can also see and understand the repercussions. Especially for someone who works in executive recruitment for a company that presumably sees women as more than being how Stuart Nash described them. And also, for someone who wants to run for public office. Yesterday, Nash resigned from his job at Robert Walters after he gave his definition of a woman to The Platform media outlet earlier this week. 

For those who don't know what he said, text Nash to 9292 and we'll text it back to you. No, that's not what will happen, but you must know what he said! Anyway, as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he knew he'd gone too far. He asked his wife, "Was this a really stupid thing to say?" And she went, "Yeah, it really, really, really was, you complete and utter numpty." I'm putting words into Mrs. Nash's mouth, but I imagine it was that or somewhat stronger. He phoned The Platform back asking for the clip of what he'd said to be taken down. As if. It was all over social media in a matter of minutes. 

The matter's been bubbling away for a few days now and then Nash's employers, Robert Walters, the executive recruitment firm, took decisive action yesterday by encouraging, no doubt, Nash's resignation. 

Now Nash's potential employer, New Zealand First, is in a bit of a conundrum really, because Winston Peters is old school. He holds decorum and standards and ways of doing things, he holds fast to those old principles. He might swear – I've been at private parties where he's been. I've never heard him, but I'm not saying he doesn't, I've just never heard him swear. And I cannot imagine him ever using the words Nash used to describe women. 

Peters spoke to my colleague Nick Mills earlier in the week about the values pledge needed for new migrants, because too many people were coming to New Zealand without the requisite respect for equality and respect for women. Awkward. Winston doesn't like coarseness, and he doesn't like vulgarity. So that's against Nash. But he hates the media, and the media is who got his golden boy into trouble. What to do, what to do if you're the leader of NZ First? 

After some consideration, Winston Peters issued a statement saying the words used by Nash were not acceptable, and on that point, we agree with Mrs. Nash. End of statement. The irony is that Nash's definition of a woman, here it comes, for all of you who are texting 9292, he described a woman as a person with a "p***y and a pair of t**s", which is a rather crude reduction of what an individual might be, but nonetheless, that's what he said. 

But the irony is that definition of a woman could equally describe a trans woman. "P***y and a pair of t**s". Or a trans man. Nash has lost quite a lot without getting any further ahead. We are no further ahead in the definition. 

Peters has previously described Nash's transition from sacked Labour minister to NZ First party member as seamless. Well, there might be a few wrinkles in that seam now. But where do you stand on this one? Should he have resigned? He would have been shoved had he not. 

Personally, I don't think you can be a specialist recruitment executive and be on record as having reduced women to a "p***y and a pair of t**s". You can't look at a woman who is going for a high-powered job, well, any job really, and say, "Well, let's have a look at your qualifications." I mean, maybe if he was a recruitment specialist for Showgirls or any of the other strip clubs in town, sure, let's see what you've got. But not when you're looking for someone who's slightly more than that, you know, who needs a bit more than that to do the job. 

An MP? If he was still an elected MP relying on an electorate to vote you in, you could get the people of the electorate to decide. That would be really easy. They could make the choice of whether they thought it was a stupid, crude, poor old thing to say. The sort of thing you might say after many beers with the lads, maybe a few of the ladesses, you sn

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Carrywood and Mornings podcast from news
Talk sad B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now long time listeners will know that I have said,
I do say and I will undoubtedly in the future
say stupid things. And a career spanning decades where you're
talking live on stage or live on air, television or radio,

(00:34):
when you're going for the snappy one liner and you're
pushing the language out and you're trying to be clever
and you're trying to be funny, a lot of the
time you're operating on instinct. You have to speak without thinking.
I know you're not supposed to, but when you're doing
live radio, live television, live on stage, you have to
speak without thinking. So the potential for saying something offensive

(00:58):
or stupid or both is very real. That does not
excuse you from the consequences of saying something out of line.
I've had to suffer them before. It just explains how
it happens. So while I can see how Stuart Nash
came to make us ill advised one line or on
what defines a woman, I can also see and understand

(01:21):
the repercussions, especially for someone who works an executive recruitment
for a company that presumably sees women as more than
being how Stuart Nash described them, and also for someone
who wants to run for public office. Yesterday, Nash resigned
from his job at Robert Walters after he gave his

(01:43):
definition of a woman to the Platform media outlet earlier
this week. For those who don't know what he said,
text Nash to nine two nine two and will text
affect you. No, that's not what will happen, but you
must know what he said. Anyway. As soon as the
words came out of his mouth, he knew he had
gone too far. He asked his wife, was s it's

(02:06):
a really stupid thing to send you in. Yeah, it really,
really really was you complete and utter numpty. I'm putting
words into missus Nash's mouth, but I imagine it was
that or somewhat stronger. He phoned the Platform back asking
for the clip of what had said to be taken
down as if it was all over social media in
a matter of minutes. So the matter has been bubbling

(02:29):
away for a few days now, and then Nash's employers,
Robert Walters, the executive recruitment firm, took decisive action yesterday
by encouraging no doubt Nash's resignation. Now Nash's potential employer,
New Zealand First. You're all texting Nash to nine two

(02:50):
nine two. That was it? Do you seriously? Not? Nobody said,
I'll tell you in a minute. Just block your ease.
If you're of a delicate nature, get your pearls ready
to clutch. So New Zealand First isn't a bit of
a conundrum, really, because Winston Peters is old school, you know,

(03:11):
he holds decorum and standards and ways of doing things.
He holds fast to those old principles. He might swear.
I've been in private parties where he's been. I've never
heard him. But I'm not saying he doesn't. I've just

(03:32):
never never heard him swear. And that's I mean, obviously
he's not going to do that publicly, but I've never
heard him do that privately either. And I cannot imagine
him ever using the words Nashews to describe women. Peter
spoke to my colleague Nick Mills earlier in the week
about the Values Pledge needed for new migrants because too

(03:54):
many people were coming to New Zealand without the requisite
respect for equality and respect for women. Awkward Winston doesn't
like coarseness and he doesn't like vulgarity, so that's against Nash,
but he hates the media, and the media is who

(04:17):
got his golden boy into trouble. What to do? What
to do if you're the leader of New Zealand. First,
after some consideration, Winston Peter's issue a statement saying the
words used by Nash were not acceptable and on that
point we agree with missus Nash. End of statement. The
irony is that Nash's definition of a woman here it
comes for all of you who are texting nineteen nine two,

(04:42):
so just I mean, you would have heard them by
now here. This said them. But nonetheless he described a
woman as a person with the pussy and imperatits yep,
which is a rather crude reduction of what an individual
might be. But nonetheless that's what he said. But the
irony is that that definition of a woman could equally

(05:03):
describe a trans woman pussy inheritis or a trans man.
So technically so Nash has lost quite a lot without
getting any further ahead. We are no further ahead in
the definition. Peters has previously described Nash's transition from sack

(05:24):
to labor Minister to New Zealand First Party member as Seamless. Well,
there might be a few wrinkles in that scene. Now,
but where do you stand on this one? Personally? You know,
should he have resigned, he would have been shoved had
he not. So personally, I don't think you can be
a specialist recruitment executive and beyond record as having reduced

(05:48):
women to a pussy inheritance. I mean, how you can't
look at a at a woman who was going for
a high powered job, really, any job, really, So well,
let's have a look at your qualifications. I mean maybe
if he was a recruitment specialist for show girls or
you know, any of the other strip clubs in town. Sure,

(06:11):
let's see what you've got. Yeah, excellent tick, you pass
the test. But not when you're looking for someone who's
slightly more than that, you, who needs a bit more
than that to do the job an MP. If he
was still an elected MP relying on an electorate to

(06:31):
vote you in, you could get the people of the
electorate to decide. That would be really easy. You know,
they could make the choice of whether they thought, oh, okay,
it was a stupid, crude, poor old thing to say
this sort of thing you might say after many beers
with the lads. Maybe if you're the lad, SA's your snigger,
you move on, But you don't do it on a

(06:55):
media platform when you're a recruitment executive. That just shows
really poor judgment and he's shown it before. There's form Now.
You might want Winston and Shane if you're a New
Zealand first voter, but you don't want Stewart. But when
a political party relies on list MPs to get in,

(07:17):
then Stuart's going to be part of the job lot.
You've got a feel for Winston this weekend. What to do?
What to do? Don't like what he said? Gross ooh
hate the media. It's all your fault. This boy's in trouble.
I reckon he'll end up staying What would you do?

Speaker 1 (07:35):
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