New Zealand’s Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly has resigned after admitting to “inappropriate” behaviour, describing how he “placed a hand” on a staff member’s upper arm during an “animated discussion” last week.
Bayly, who remains an MP, apologized for the incident and acknowledged his “overbearing” conduct. His resignation follows criticism over a 2023 incident in which he called a winery worker a “loser.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon defended his government’s swift response but faced backlash from Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who called Luxon’s handling of the situation “incredibly weak.”
