Commerce and small business minister Andrew Bayly called a worker a "loser" and told him to "f*** off" during a visit to his place of employment in early October. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Commerce and Small Business Minister Andrew Bayly's behaviour reveals what the current government thinks about working people, Labour leader Chris Hipkins says.
It comes after it was revealed last week that Bayly called a worker a "loser" and told him to "f*** off" during a visit to his place of employment in early October. The worker later laid a formal complaint about Bayly's conduct.
"They (the government) think that people who work late are losers and should be harassed in the workplace" Hipkins told Morning Report.
Bayly's conduct was utterly unacceptable for a government minister, Hipkins said. He has been pushing for Bayly to lose his portfolio.
"Had it been a minister in my government, they wouldn't still be a minister full stop, end of story."
Investigation launched into disappearing Andrew Bayly email
The speaker of the house is currently investigating how an email complaining about Bayly's behaviour towards a worker dissappeared from a Labour MP's inbox.
Last Friday several members of the Labour party received an email containing a detailed account of the worker's encounter with Bayly.
After being read in Labour Party deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni's inbox by a staffer, it disappeared without explanation.
The Labour party still does not understand how an email could be deleted after being read, as the parliamentary spam filter captures emails before they reach the inbox, Hipkins said.
Hipkins said there are still a lot of unanswered questions.
"If Christopher Luxon was actually doing his job as prime minister, he would have been asking Andrew Bayly those questions," he said.
Hipkins said there is "still more to come," and that the Labour Party would continue to question Bayly about the complaint.
Luxon himself said Bayly's conduct was not up to scratch - though he has stood by his minister.
During his post-Cabinet media briefing on Monday, he said Bayly had "genuinely" apologised.
"That's what I'm always looking for in these cases. Have you internalised and understood how much hurt and insult you have caused, and what have you done... as best you can, to make amends?
"But importantly, I would expect going forward - and I've told him that very clearly, and he has given me reassurances - that there won't be this behaviour again."
Bayly fronted Parliament on Tuesday over his actions.
He was challenged by Labour MP Arena Williams in the House and by reporters on his way to Question Time.
An MP of 10 years, Bayly said not everyone would have agreed with him at all times, but he was comfortable with his conduct outside of this recent example.
He did not think there were any other instances that would come to light.
Luxon on Tuesday continued to support Bayly, saying he was "comfortable" with how he was approaching the situation.