Now, the comments actually date back to last week. They were made on his show, The Platform, where he was talking about Opportunity and, in particular, their candidate, Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, whom he was on stage with. His observation was that the women in Opportunity are as stern as primary school teachers.
Michael Laws:
"Um, and that was the demeanour, I have to say. Severe. Disapproving. You know, that sort of look of constant disapproval. It 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."
So it's blown up for Michael Laws. Winston's not happy with him. Winston doesn't like sex talk at all. Christopher Luxon says Laws will not be part of a Luxon ministerial lineup now, and the leading women in politics are furious, from Kiri Allan all the way through to Nicola Willis and Barbara Edmonds.
This was predictable, right? Because Michael Laws was always going to say something outrageous. The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour and his past is littered with outrageous comments.
And because it was predictable, I actually don't think it's going to cost New Zealand First very much in terms of votes. I just don't know how many thin-skinned voters are still with that party after Winston's Lawrence Xu-Nan comments.
The more interesting question here, I think, is not how many votes it will cost, but whether Luxon will be able to hold the line on keeping Laws out of any ministerial lineup. My prediction is that he won't.
Laws is Winston's man. For all of his faults, Laws is capable and bright, and has clearly been brought back to fill a Cabinet position. And in the battle of Winston versus Luxon, Winston's going to win. He always does.
So notch this one up as yet another fight being lined up for Luxon if he makes it through the fire on Saturday.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and radio broadcaster who hosts Newstalk ZB's weekday Drive-Time Show – where this article was sourced.
12 comments:
Michael called it right, for when National finally wake up, Luxon won't be calling the shots. As for Kingdon-Bebb, she did have a role in producing He Puapua and Michael really didn't need to get into her demeanor. More than enough already said.
New Zealand First enjoys hearty support from superannuants - many of those pensioners are women with conservatively held views and high standards as to what is acceptable language and behaviour.
Laws does not meet those standards with his comments on Wednesday - standards Peters himself holds dearly.
Laws is competent? But is also a sexist dinosaur who says dumb things that his boss hates? Both of these things cannot be true.
This isn’t going to go down well with the grey vote. Peters picking washouts to work for him clearly shows his judgement is failing and he himself can’t be trusted with anything important any more.
Answer. No.
It was a satirical and quite funny but honest account of how Opportunities is oozing so much wokeness and are in reality, a very clever left insurance policy and nothing more.
The only criticism I have is Laws killed his credibility by apologising.
Is NZ First the best place for woman haters? Nash got the chop but Laws gets a wet bus ticket, so it isn’t clear.
Snow flakes and prissy Pollys will look for any excuse to be affronted. I recall fondly a comment by Bill Bryson in one of his early books. A woman looked at him disapprovingly, and : "as if I had farted in her handbag". Laws wasn't particularly funny, but hardly deserving of the 'frothing at the mouth' nonsense that is being spouted.
I am a woman and a superannuant. I was not offended I was amused especially by the naughty step. Comments on sex are always dumb and crass.But the women of TOP are seriously up themselves they make me puke. So what if Laws gets carried away at times it's his platform . He could do with speech lessons tho his pronunciation is woeful. He is light years ahead of any one in TOP with his government admin experience.Grow up!!!!
Anon@6.39 please wake up it is 2026 the boomers are the oldies now we are not our parent's generation of judgemental know it alls. We often disapprove of idiots too but our values are radically different to the seniors of the past. I am in my 70's I was a founding member of the Greens I am a carbon farmer who thinks cannabis should be legalised , the oldies have changed keep up.If women expect equality in the political sphere just their biological sex is not enough . Respect is earned. The women of TOP need to get over themselves.
Anon 749 and 707 - have a read of this response to what Laws said:
“Frankly there's no excuse for it, it's disgusting, it's unacceptable, and I've made it very very clear what I think about it and what my colleagues think about it."
^ are these the words of a wokester, in your opinion?
Lighten up. TOP oozes sanctimonious confidence with no real reason. Imagine them cracking the whip in government !
Laws should have emphasized the candidate's He Puapua role - never mentioned and much more salient.
Anything but TOP.
Ok for Lees Galloway of Opportunity to commit adultery & cheat on his wife & children?
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