'Absolutely disgusting': Condemnation for NZ First candidate Michael Laws' sexist attack

Leader of the Opportunity Party Qiulae Wong says NZ First candidate Michael Laws should stand down after he made a sexual jibe and mocked women in the Opportunity Party.National's Christopher Luxon has ruled out Laws from serving as a minister in a future government, while NZ First leader Winston Peters said Laws' the comments were "unacceptable" and he would be "told off" but there would no further consequences.Speaking on his online talk show on The Platform on 29 October, Laws targeted Opportunity's fourth ranked candidate Kayla Kingdon-Bebb after sharing a stage with her at a Wao summit election debate.He described her as "rather severe-looking", likening her to "every officious primary school teacher, female that I'd ever come across in my life"."Must be hell dating people like that, just quietly. Can you imagine what it's like post-sex? Did I say that out loud? Yes, I did."Laws also commented on the length of her black dress - "down to her calves" - and how little makeup she wore.He then turned to Wong, accusing her of having the same "stern, disapproving" manner and an "I-know-better-than-you" attitude.Laws said Wong had - in a "very clipped, officious, primary school" manner - suggested Opportunity could work with NZ First if it put aside rhetoric she considered divisive and dangerous.NZ First candidate Michael Laws has mocked an Opportunity candidate Kayla Kingdon-Bebb''demeanour and made a sexual jibe about her.RNZ / Samuel RillstoneHe said that revealed "the authoritarian fascist that always lurks within the typical metropolitan liberal", exemplified by the women who dominated Opportunity."It's exactly what you would expect some sort of entitled... princess from some leafy suburb going to a private school... who instantly disapproves of the little oinks everywhere."Laws said an Opportunity presence in Parliament would mean "the infant mistress will be back".Speaking to media on Wednesday afternoon, Wong responded that Laws should stand down as candidate over his comments."I think it's absolutely disgusting to be honest ... it makes my skin crawl and I don't think someone like that should be standing as a candidate," she said.Wong said it added to toxic culture and "female politicians and leaders are already subjected to so much hate online and that just fuels that kind of culture"."That is really dangerous rhetoric to be putting out there."She said she expects Peters to take action swiftly.Peters: 'He'll be told off'Asked for his response on Wednesday, Peters initially stressed that Laws was not speaking as a candidate, but acknowledged the language was "not acceptable"."It might excite you... but it doesn't excite me, and he'll be told off."Peters said he would not sack Laws as a candidate, saying the telling-off was a "serious consequence"."I know it's close, and people are getting very frazzled with all the attacks coming from all sides. And the Opportunity Party has been probably one of the worst when it comes to New Zealand First, but it's not adequate, and I'll tell him so."Speaking to reporters later, Luxon said Laws would not be welcome in his ministerial line-up.He said Laws' comments were inappropriate and "stupid, absolutely stupid."National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out Michael Laws from serving as a minister in a future government.Nick Monro / RNZ"He's not gonna be a minister in my government, period," Luxon said. "If you want less of that, you should party vote National."National's deputy Nicola Willis described Laws' remarks as "disgusting" and "nasty"."It's from another era. He should go back to Noah and the Ark."Willis said primary school teachers were some of the best people in the country: "To hear primary school teacher being used as a demeaning phrase is offensive to me."Swarbrick: 'Our country deserves so much better'Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick has also described comments as gross.Speaking at the University of Auckland, Swarbrick said the campaign has been checkered by petty personal attacks."Our country deserves so much better than the nonsense that they're getting this election," she said.Swarbrick said voters can put New Zealand first by putting the New Zealand First party out of Parliament.The comments come months after NZ First candidate Stuart Nash resigned over remarks he made about his National rival Katie Nimon's maternity leave.Nash had called Nimon the "laziest MP I have ever come across" in a text to former National minister Chris Finlayson.Luxon at the time condemned the comments as sexist and ruled out Nash serving as a minister in any government he led.