Who is the loser?

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, October 20th, 2024 - 22 comments
Categories: class war, national, same old national - Tags:

Andrew Bayley has committed the cardinal sin as far as National Party strategists are concerned, he has laid bare National’s complete indifference to working people.

From Radio New Zealand:

Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly has apologised for his conduct after a complaint that he repeatedly called a worker “a loser” and swore at him while on a business visit. The employee formally complained after the visit, saying Mr Bayly told him to “f*** off” and repeatedly called him a loser, making an ‘L’ with his fingers on his forehead. The worker said the minister’s actions left him feeling “degraded, embarrassed and deeply disrespected”

Bayley thought it was a light hearted exchange. He also denies having anything to drink which is a bit strange. His “light hearted banter” is the sort of language that appears to be really funny to someone under the influence but causes deep insult to someone who is sober.

The news was released shortly before 4 pm on a Friday afternoon. National’s strategists clearly hope that it will wash through.

Christopher Luxon’s response will be interesting although his Bottom Feeder comment does not put him in a great position to do anything. That comment was much worse than Bayley’s unfortunate attempt at being funny.

Luxon could go tough on him and demote him although I doubt it. He has not shown any strength of character in dealing with Ministerial indiscretions and his weakness is plain for all to see.

And Bayley’s comment is helpful to the opposition. National’s class prejudice is clear for all to see.

22 comments on “Who is the loser? ”

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  1. Mike the Lefty 1
    20 October 2024 at 9:32 am

    Luxon could afford to dismiss Melissa Lee because that wouldn't have bothered many in the National Party but if he dismissed Andrew Bayly then Federated Farmers and other farmers' lobby groups would get annoyed and National never want to annoy their rural support network.

    • thinker 1.1
      20 October 2024 at 10:46 am

      Plus, Luxons own comments on occasion make it difficult for him to hold others to account – he's kind of got an arm tied behind his back there.

      At least he hasn't resorted to playing with girls hair.

  2. dv 2
    20 October 2024 at 9:36 am

    It all appears a bit weird.

    Was Bayley calling the worker a loser cause he was still at work?

    Bizare.

    • SPC 2.1
      20 October 2024 at 9:46 am

      The worker left behind (by his co-workers) to close up the warehouse, all alone.

      The issue was how he talked down to him (albeit an attempt at what he imagines would be working class banter).

      He could have just said, if you are not joining your workmates for drinks, join us, or have this bottle of wine to go home with.

    • thinker 2.2
      20 October 2024 at 10:26 am

      That's what he said but I think (the only thing that makes sense to me) is that he was a loser by being a worker, per se.

      That's what this thing is really about and that's what this article is about.

      To my mind, New Zealand's class system is different from Europe and America. Our post-colonial history is simply too short. So, I'm guessing in Andrew Baylys past will be someone who worked hard to push future generations of their family up the tree, probably never dreaming that their descendant would call a fellow hard worker a 'loser'.

      And that, to me, typifies right wing politics in New Zealand. If I won $30m in lotto, I'd first make sure my family was secure, then find a way to make meaningful help to people who hadn't been so lucky Right wing politics in this country seems to be about knowing the right people who get you on the ladder and you kick the ladder away so others can't follow. In some cases, eg Baylys 'loser' and Luxons 'bottom feeder ' comments, they're not content with kicking the ladder away, they must belittle those left behind, to get some macarbre enjoyment from it.

      Whether you're religious or not, Jesus's saying that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get to Heaven sums it up completely. That said, there are lots of rich people doing good things. It's not about wealth, but character and lack of it.

    • georgecom 2.3
      20 October 2024 at 11:04 am

      yup, hard to fathom why Bayley acted that way. was a suggestion he was tipsy. not saying that's so but that would explain such bizare behaviour

  3. Reality 3
    20 October 2024 at 9:36 am

    Andrea Vance's column in The Post today is very critical of his behaviour. Good to see Bayly's late Friday apology hasn't been buried and forgotten.

  4. bwaghorn 4
    20 October 2024 at 9:38 am

    It would be nice to know the whole episode, was the "worker" heckling beyley? Biting back is understandable,although stupid from abn mp. just attacking isn't,

    • Muttonbird 4.1
      20 October 2024 at 10:25 am

      That might be a scenario; activist worker stays late to give fascist minister a piece of his/her mind. Can't see the boss, who was there, not being alert to that.

      Could also be normal early/late shift hours. This person was rostered on late to close down the warehouse and came under the scrutiny of a drunk minister clear promoted above his ability.

      I'm quite interested in Bayley's psychology. His RW defenders cite his achievements and pursuits, Coast to Coast and Ironman races, apparently. All good, but the people who do these events are highly competitive and individual, you might call them psychologically one dimensional.

      Have to ask the question whether such a person is suited to the small business and manufacturing portfolio where a familial, collaborative, and collective environment is really important.

      It illustrates either the lack of depth in the National Party or their leaders incredibly bad judgement.

      • thinker 4.1.1
        20 October 2024 at 10:35 am

        His comment that he felt so terrible he closed the warehouse early and went home suggests he was still on shift. Unless the seniority sent the workers home so the could have Bayly to themselves and this guy hung around, maybe to close up.

  5. Anne 5
    20 October 2024 at 10:26 am

    The reports of the incident I've seen suggest the worker was just standing there. It was late in the day and he had been assigned the job of locking up after the group had departed. His boss introduced him to Bayly and Bayly responded with his rant. My reading of the words the worker used to describe the incident is that he was an intelligent and educated person.

    The loser in the story wasn't the worker.

  6. Mountain Tui 6
    20 October 2024 at 10:37 am

    Here is the letter of complaint folks

    https://substack.com/@mountaintui/note/c-73194650

    And the Checkpoint interview where he can't get himself to genuinely apologise by denying it happened: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018960395/commerce-minister-andrew-bayly-apologises-after-complaint

  7. Patricia Bremner 7
    20 October 2024 at 11:07 am

    The difference between Capital and Work.

    Andrew Bayly thinks " work??? Nah, invest grow sorted (assuming enough income…) otherwise 'you are a loser'.

    Worker, practice honesty reliability and work ethic, and provide for a life.

    Some workers thought the capital in their home would change their fortunes, forgetting the origin of the word "mortgage". (dead pledge.)

  8. Vivie 8
    20 October 2024 at 1:12 pm

    Andrew Bayly's behaviour is in a similar vein, although a one-off incident, to John Key pulling the hair of a cafe waitress over several months, despite her repeatedly asking him to stop, and many people being aware of it. Clearly, humiliating people they perceive to be of less worth is a source of entertainment for some in positions of power or privilege.

    Imagine the media uproar if an MP from Labour, Te Pati Maori or the Greens acted this way. Bayly has denied he used obscene language towards the worker. Presumably others present can verify the worker's version of events.

    The smugness and arrogance of many right wing MPs and their supporters are reflected in their attitudes, comments and actions.

    Winston Peters was critical of Key's behaviour towards the waitress. Peters' reaction to Bayly targeting and ridiculing the worker will be interesting.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/271913/call-for-key-to-face-investigation

    "23 April 2015

    Brent Edwards, Political Editor – brent.edwards@radionz.co.nz

    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters believes Prime Minister John Key should face a police investigation after repeatedly pulling the hair of an Auckland waitress.

    But Mr Peters said he could not understand why police officers guarding Mr Key did not act when the incidents took place.

    Mr Peters said there was a prima facie case of assault given Mr Key had repeatedly pulled the waitress' ponytail…..

    Mr Peters criticised the police who were with Mr Key when he tugged her hair.

    "The police are in a most invidious position. I am not saying what they should do. I am asking why they didn't do anything at the time. After all, they may be bodyguards but they are policemen and women," he said.

    Mr Peters said the Prime Minister's conduct also undermined his authority to deal with any National MP who might misbehave in the future…."

    • Anne 8.1
      20 October 2024 at 2:21 pm

      "Presumably others present can verify the worker's version of events."

      They can but I doubt they will publicly comment. There was only one subordinate present among them. He is the one who made the formal complaint. The others were a Minister of the Crown, the worker’s boss and a couple of their senior staff. By rights, the boss should stand up for his worker but he may well be constrained by those above him.

      In situations like this it is a rule of thumb to let the subordinate carry the can, even when they are innocent of any wrong-doing. Any 'worker' who has been in a similar position will attest to that.

  9. observer 9
    20 October 2024 at 2:09 pm

    RNZ still have a false headline for the story:

    Minister Andrew Bayly apologises for telling person to 'f*** off' | RNZ

    No he hasn't apologised for saying that. He denies saying that.

    That's the whole point, but RNZ misses it. Burying the lede.

  10. Susie 10
    20 October 2024 at 3:08 pm

    Well I heard him on Checkpoint on Friday, and surely he was drunk then too? Quite a lot drunk as in shlurred shpeech drunk? Or does he always sound drunk? Or maybe he is in fact always drunk, has half a bottle before breakfast. And encourages everyone else to get drunk all day too, like the poor guy in the factory.
    What a tosser, honestly.

  11. AB 11
    20 October 2024 at 3:29 pm

    Nothing to see here. We should really be talking about Darleen Tana (endlessly, over and over).

  12. Drowsy M. Kram 12
    21 October 2024 at 3:52 pm

    Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

    "Don't you know who I am? I'm an important politician."