NZ First’s Stuart Nash makes ‘sexist’ claim MP was lazy for taking parental leave

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

PM Christopher Luxon called Stuart Nash “sexist” after the NZ First candidate called MP Katie Nimon the “laziest MP I’ve ever come across” for taking parental leave.

Nash channelled the “manosphere” and had been making derogatory comments about women for years, Luxon said.

Luxon avoided ruling Nash out of a future cabinet post but said he wouldn't push out 'exceptionally good' ministers to make room for 'numpties from other parties.'

The prime minister is labelling Stuart Nash “sexist” and Chris Bishop is calling his comments “disgusting” after the NZ First candidate criticised his National Party opponent in the Napier electorate for taking maternity leave - naming her as the “laziest MP I have ever come across”.

On his Cross Party Lines podcast, former attorney-general Chris Finlayson revealed Nash had sent him a late night text regarding Katie Nimon after Finlayson had expressed that he thought she was an exceptional MP and rated her chances of beating Nash in the Napier electorate.

“Then he sent me a text and I quote: ‘Comments like yours motivative me and drive me harder. Katie took 9 months off on full pay, went back for a week, then took another month off. Laziest MP I’ve ever come across’,” he told the podcast.

The text finished with: “Nice woman but ill suited to the rigours of being an electorate MP.”

Stuff has seen the text message.

Nimon confirmed on Wednesday that she took 10 weeks off and was working in the electorate part-time before going back to Parliament after six months, and said she laughed when she heard the comments.

“Well, I actually gave a little giggle because, of course, they’re not true, and that’s very much an expected thing from Stuart,” she said.

Nimon said the comments were “absolutely” sexist and those views have no place in Parliament in 2026.

“A lot of people out there want to see working mums become representatives in government, and showing that we can do it with empathy. And perhaps that’s not what he sees a good MP is, but I know that the community that voted me in like to see that kind of person be their representative.”

Nash wouldn’t answer his phone when Stuff tried speaking to him on Wednesday. But in response to this story, a statement arrived. In the statement, Nash offered no apology to Nimon or anyone else.

“Let me be clear: this campaign is about who shows up and delivers for Napier, and I'm happy to be judged on my own track record, achievements and work ethic. That's the contest I want. And for what it's worth, I've got real respect for any working parent raising a newborn alongside a demanding job,” the statement said.

Bishop called the NZ First candidate a “sexist dickead”, in a post online.

NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones said on Wednesday he hadn’t heard the comments and wouldn’t be commenting on them.

“So what’s the next question? You take any remarks that may have come from Mr Nash elsewhere,” he told Stuff on the way into Parliament’s debating chamber.

On the way out of the House, he still would not comment.

“I want to understand in what context the remarks were made,” he said.

He refused to stop and listen to them when Stuff tried to play him a clip.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon labelled the remarks “sexist”.

“Well, I think Stuart Nash channels the manosphere. I think his comments around women have been quite derogatory over a number of years, frankly,” he said.

National MP Chris Bishop, who has also not seen the comments, said Nimon was one of the hardest working MPs he knows.

“You’re joking,” he replied. “For having a baby? Stuart Nash needs to take that kind of misogynistic behaviour and and stay away. I mean that’s just disgusting.”

Bishop, who was clearly angry with the comments made, said whenever he went to engagements in Napier while Nimon was on maternity leave, she was there with her baby.

“I mean, he may find, if in the unlikely event he makes it back to Parliament, he will find that the world’s actually moved on from those kind of 1950s attitudes, Stuart Nash needs to get into the 21st century,” Bishop said.

NZ First minister Casey Costello distanced herself from the comments - though when asked if she would happily sit in a caucus room with him, she said, “I think he’s a genuinely good guy.”

“I just don’t think it’s appropriate. I haven’t seen the comments, but it’s not something I would ever say.”

Nicola Willis said the comments were “unacceptable, outrageous, a relic of the past”.

“I have worked closely with Shane Jones and Winston Peters, and I do not think that they would find those views to be acceptable,” she said.

“Frankly offensive to every parent in the country to say that actually combining child rearing and positions of leadership is somehow incompatible, and that to attempt to do so is lazy, and that people who are raising children are unable to cope with the rigours of leadership, is just such an outdated view. I can barely believe that it’s real.”

Mark Mitchell echoed his colleagues, saying Nimon had worked very hard as his undersecretary for the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

“Well, that’s if that’s what’s being said, that’s atrocious because she was a new mum. I think she definitely took some maternity leave, which you’d expect any mother or father to be able to do. In my view, she’s quite simply been an outstanding local MP.”

Luxon would not say he wouldn’t have Nash in any Cabinet he led post-election, instead saying he’d be campaigning hard so National made up the majority of the Cabinet.

“I don’t want to kick out really good ministers that I’ve got that I think are doing an exceptionally good job for numpties from other parties.”