Stuart Nash resigns as NZ First candidate after ‘sexist’ comments
Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Stuart Nash has offered his resignation as a NZ First candidate, which party leader Winston Peters confirmed has been accepted.
The resignation follows fallout over a text message where Nash called National MP Katie Nimon the 'laziest MP I’ve ever come across' and criticised her for taking leave after having a baby.
In a statement issued before his resignation was confirmed, Nash offered no apology to Nimon, defending his work ethic and noting his past support for extending paid parental leave.
Stuart Nash has resigned as a NZ First candidate, leader Winston Peters has confirmed.
Peters said Nash had offered his resignation and the party has accepted it.
It comes after Nash made “sexist” comments about his National opponent taking maternity leave.
Earlier on Wednesday night Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a post to social media that Nash “will not serve as a minister” should he form a government with New Zealand First post-election.
Nash had called Katie Nimon lazy for taking leave after having a baby.
“Whether reports of Stuart Nash’s resignation as a NZ First candidate are true or not, I am making clear he will not serve as a minister in my government.”
“After several instances of poor behaviour, some politicians will claim he has changed. his lack of contrition after comments about one of my MPs’ maternity leave this evening shows he hasn’t,” Luxon wrote on X.
Nash, Winston Peters and other New Zealand First sources have not responded to Stuff’s queries.
Nash came under fire from MPs after former attorney-general Chris Finlayson revealed on his Cross Party Lines podcast that Nash sent him a late-night text after Finlayson said he thought she (Nimon) 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’,” Finlayson 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 had a baby boy in May 2025. She says 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, which she said were “absolutely” sexist.
“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.”
His comments were met with widespread disgust from MPs, the Prime Minister labelling them 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
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.
Nash then took a swipe at the National party and reclaimed credit for his part in the Labour government.
“I was part of a government that supported the extending of paid parental leave - the law change that the National Party voted against, twice.”
In 2023, Nash was sacked as a cabinet minister after it was revealed he leaked cabinet information to donors.
He had previously resigned his police portfolio after he boasted about encouraging the Police Commissioner to appeal a court decision.
National MP Chris Bishop, who had also not seen the comments when Stuff asked, 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.