‘A person with a p***y and a pair of t**s’: Winston Peters unimpressed with potential NZ First MP Stuart Nash’s ‘woman’ description

Former Labour minister Stuart Nash made an appearance at New Zealand First's convention in Palmerston North over the weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Former Labour Cabinet Minister Stuart Nash, who has made a pitch to become an MP for New Zealand First, has used sexist slurs when giving his definition of a woman.

Nash stated a woman is a “person with a p***y and a pair of t**s,” referencing genitals on radio show The Platform.

However, his potential boss NZ First leader Winston Peters has deemed his words not acceptable.

In an interview with host Sean Plunket, Nash was asked what a woman was, and gave the vulgar answer, using slang terms for genitalia, after prefacing his statement with “the last time I said this I got in trouble”.

Nash later called into the show, saying he had spoken to his wife, and said he wished he had not made the comment.

“But it is the truth, it is an accurate record of the interview,” host Plunket said, and added he preferred the comment remain, noting Nash used to be a Cabinet Minister.

The Platform then posted to social media site X, saying Nash had “later asked for the comment to be removed,” in a bleeped-video of the initial exchange of words.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has sent a statement to Newstalk ZB, saying “the words used weren’t acceptable, and on that point, we agree with Mrs Nash, as does Stuart now he has reflected on them, and as he said so on The Platform”.

Peters said a woman was a “human adult female” when asked.

When asked about the comments from Nash on the tiles in Parliament this afternoon, before releasing a statement, Peters asked “who said that?”.

When Peters was informed Nash made these comments on The Platform, the NZ First leader responded; “No, I’m going to find out whether he said that or not. I’m not taking your word for it”.

Peters said he would not answer questions on the matter until he had seen the comments from Nash.

“I’m going back to my office, I’ve got great staff - they’ll tell me if it’s true or not.”

When asked for comment on the matter, Nash said “no comment”.

He later apologised on his LinkedIn, saying his answer was “crude and disrespectful”.

“It was wrong and unacceptable, and I apologise unreservedly for any offence that this comment may have caused,” he wrote.

“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.”

The former Labour MP, who was sacked as a minister over disclosing confidential information in 2023, made an appearance at the NZ First convention over the weekend.

During a media stand-up at the conference, jointly hosted by Nash and Winston Peters, the party leader suggested Nash could be a “seamless” addition to the party.

Nash told media Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who sacked him from Cabinet, had “stabbed him in the back”.

Speaking to media on the backstabbing allegation, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said “Stuart’s free to re-write history however he wants. He’s an independent member of the public”.

Hipkins’ remarks came after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon suggested he could “make it work” around a potential coalition deal that could include NZ First, and Stuart Nash.

On Nash being sacked in the past, Luxon said “I’m sure he’s learned his lesson”.

“This is a person who’s not even yet confirmed as a NZ First candidate. That’s going to be a decision, obviously, for the party and for Winston Peters, so it’s purely speculative and hypothetical,” Luxon added on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, Hipkins told Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW his party would set out what parties it could work with closer to the election - including areas in common and “no-go zones”.

“There’s a lot of water still to flow under the bridge yet.”

Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.