National MP Andrew Bayly not contesting Port Waikato seat

Tuesday, 3 March 2026

National MP Andrew Bayly says he will not stand in the Port Waikato seat at the upcoming election, but is not planning to retire from Parliament altogether.

The MP said he intended to relocate to the South Island later this year, and so it was appropriate he step aside to allow for a candidate “embedded” in the electorate.

“I believe it is important that the people of the Port Waikato electorate are represented by someone who is able to live locally and maintain a strong, day-to-day connection with the community.”

Bayly said he would consider the option of continuing to serve as a MP after the 2026 election, and would be exploring the option of applying to be on the National Party list.

He said he was grateful for the “trust” the people in his electorate had placed in him, as well as the “commitment, dedication, and generosity” from party members, volunteers, and supporters throughout his 12 years in the role.

Bayly first won the then-Hunua electorate in 2014, holding the seat in 2017, 2020, and a 2023 by-election caused by the death of the ACT Party candidate.

He rose as high as third in the National Party ranks following a 2020 reshuffle, when then-leader Judith Collins made him shadow treasurer.

He became a minister outside Cabinet in 2023, with the commerce and consumer affairs, statistics, and small business and manufacturing portfolios.

In 2024, he came under fire for repeatedly calling a worker a 'loser' during a business visit.

In February 2025, he resigned from all of his ministerial positions after what he said was an “animated discussion” that ended with him putting a hand on a staffer.