Andrew Bayly resigns as minister over ‘inappropriate’ arm touching

Monday, 24 February 2025

Minister Andrew Bayly has resigned as a minister after admitting he inappropriately touched the arm of a staff member during an “animated” discussion last week.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Bayly have both refused to say what exactly happened.

“He's outlined the incident in his own statement, and I'm not going to add to that,” Luxon said.

“What was important, though, is that he identified his interaction with a staff member as having fallen short of his own expectations, and he proactively came to me and offered his resignation.”

The incident happened last Tuesday. Luxon found out on Thursday.

“On Friday evening, very, very late, Andrew called me and resigned. I accepted that I wanted him to have Saturday, Sunday… just to inform his family and also other impacted staff.

“I think that’s been pretty quick.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Luxon had “set the bar so low” and the prime minister was “still not being upfront with New Zealand”.

He criticised Luxon allowing Bayly to take the weekend after resigning, before telling the public.

“It’s not entirely clear at the moment whether there was a minister in those portfolios over the weekend at this point.”

Earlier this afternoon, Bayly said during a four minute press conference: “I held myself to account”.

'It is what it is,' he said, appearing emotional.

“It is a fact that we had an animated discussion and the point is I put my hand on their upper arm.”

He confirmed a complaint was made, and that he had “held” their arm, but would not disclose for how long.

Bayly, who was the ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister outside of Cabinet, said on Monday he had resigned after he had an “animated discussion with a staff member about work” last week, on Tuesday.

The discussion was in his office at Parliament.

Asked why he hadn’t made a statement earlier, he said, 'to be honest, I would have difficulty doing this interview over the last couple of days, I've had to talk to my family, and that's why I made the decision, and that's why we're announcing it today“.

In an earlier statement from Bayly, he said, 'Concerns have been raised with me about a recent incident in which my behaviour towards a staff member was overbearing and for that, I am deeply sorry.

“I took the discussion too far, and I placed a hand on their upper arm, which was inappropriate.”

Bayly said he was looking forward to “continuing to serve the people of Port Waikato and being involved in the work of Parliament”.

'I have apologised to the staff member and regret placing them in an uncomfortable position.

“I have made the personal choice to resign as a minister and have offered my resignation to the prime minister, which he has accepted.”

Luxon said Bayly’s resignation takes effect immediately. Scott Simpson will become Minister for ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Bayly came under heavy scrutiny in October, for an interaction with a winery worker which Luxon at the time said Bayly got “horribly wrong” and which was said to have caused “hurt and insult” to a member of the public.

Bayly had apologised then, too, after the worker accused him of insulting behaviour during the business visit.

The worker alleged Bayly told him to: “Take a bottle of wine and go home, go on, go home … take some wine and f… off.” Allegedly Bayly made the L sign on his forehead.

Bayly then admitted making the L sign, but denied swearing at the worker.

Luxon at the time said Bayly was “mortified” that he had left the worker feeling insulted, and Bayly had assured the prime minister that such an incident would not happen again.