NZ First still considering Michael Laws' future in the party

NZ First has not yet decided what will happen to MP Michael Laws, more than a week after election day. The party confirmed to RNZ that there was still no update.

The party had promised to report on Laws' future in the party after the election. Party leader Winston Peters said the party's board could not meet before the election, so action on Laws was put off until afterwards, so it could be handled properly and soberly. Peters said there could be further consequences for Laws once the party had time to meet.

Laws was reprimanded by NZ First days before election day over comments about The Opportunity Party MP Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. On his online talkshow, he mocked her demeanour and appearance, describing her as "rather severe-looking" and making sexual remarks. Laws has apologised for those remarks.

Peters told RNZ that the comments were "simply unacceptable".

Laws returned to Parliament after the election, having been ranked sixth on the NZ First party list. The list is the ranked order of candidates a party puts forward, and it decides which of them enter Parliament when the party's vote earns it seats.

National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out Laws holding any ministerial roles in a Luxon-led government because of the remarks.