New Zealand Minister Andrew Bayly Resigns After Incident With Staffer

New Zealand's Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly resigned after an incident on February 18, where he placed his hand on a staff member's upper arm during what he described as an 'animated discussion.' Bayly acknowledged his behavior was 'overbearing' and expressed deep regret, stating he took the discussion too far. This resignation follows previous scrutiny over his conduct, including a separate incident in October where he called a winery worker a 'loser' and made inappropriate gestures. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the resignation and defended the swift handling of the situation, while opposition leader Chris Hipkins criticized the government's response as weak. Despite resigning from his ministerial roles, Bayly will remain a member of parliament for Port Waikato. Scott Simpson has been appointed as the new Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.