ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔸𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕨 𝔹𝕒𝕪𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠 '𝕗*** 𝕠𝕗𝕗'

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.

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he business employee formally complained after the visit, saying Bayly told him to "f*** off" and repeatedly called him a loser, making an 'L' with his fingers on his forehead.

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In a written complaint, released by the minister on Friday afternoon, the employee said he had been left feeling "degraded, embarrassed and deeply disrespected" during the visit in early October.

file: 𝕵𝖔𝖍𝖓𝖓𝖞 ᴴᴰ

In an accompanying statement, Bayly said his comments were intended in "a light-hearted manner" but he accepted they caused unintentional offence.

"I obviously got this completely wrong, and I have unreservedly apologised to the person concerned ... I take responsibility for the situation, and I am sorry.

Read the original letter from the complainant and Bayly's responses below:

"I regret my actions. They fall well short of the behaviour expected of a minister, and what I expect of myself. I have also apologised to the prime minister, and given him my assurance it will not happen again."

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In a separate statement, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was disappointed in Bayly's conduct but continued to hold confidence in him.

"He fell well short of the professional standards of behaviour I expect from ministers. He has apologised, both to the person concerned and to me, and has given me his assurances that it won't happen again."

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