Wellington, New Zealand – Former Labour MP Stuart Nash has resigned from his role at recruitment agency Robert Walters following a formal review of comments he made about women.
The resignation comes after Nash apologised for telling the Platform on Tuesday that a woman is a “person with a p*y and a pair of ts.” Robert Walters confirmed that a review was launched after the company became aware of the remarks, which were made in Nash’s personal capacity.
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A spokesperson for Robert Walters said the comments were “deeply inappropriate and do not reflect our values or the standards of our business. We have initiated a formal review and will not be commenting further while that process is ongoing.”
When approached by RNZ, Nash declined an interview but confirmed he had resigned, saying he had “thoroughly enjoyed working for them” but decided it was best for both himself and the company to step down, effective immediately. Robert Walters later confirmed in a statement that Nash was no longer with the company and would not provide further comment.
On Wednesday, Nash issued an apology on LinkedIn, describing his remark as “crude and disrespectful.” He wrote: “It was wrong and unacceptable, and I apologise unreservedly for the offence that this comment may have caused. Words matter, and I take full responsibility for my actions. I have immense respect for all women and this is not who I am or what I believe, and I have let myself, my family, and my friends down. I will work hard to rectify this.”
Nash had recently spoken at New Zealand First’s annual conference and has been widely rumoured to be aligning himself with the party ahead of the next election. NZ First leader Winston Peters, when asked about Nash’s resignation, said he was not involved and had not discussed the matter with Nash. Peters added that while it was a “dumb mistake,” Nash had apologised unreservedly and “some people make mistakes.”
The incident has drawn widespread attention in New Zealand, highlighting ongoing discussions around accountability and conduct by public figures even after leaving political office.
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