Sacked Cabinet minister Stuart Nash reveals new corporate role when he leaves Parliament

Sacked minister Stuart Nash is set to reveal details of a new role today with an international company after his 15-year parliamentary career was scuppered when he leaked Cabinet discussions to donors.

Yesterday, Nash delivered his valedictory speech, renewing his stance for politicians to call out judges if they were “ignoring the very clear guidance” Parliament sent them, and revisiting the issue that set him on a path to losing his job as a government minister. He also revealed he would be returning to the corporate world.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, the outgoing senior Labour MP was this morning keeping mum on the identity of his new employer but said an announcement would take place today.

He said when he was stripped of his ministerial portfolios he and his wife went to the drawing board to work out a future employment plan.

“What Sarah and I did when I was exiting Parliament was we sat down and listed the companies that both of us had worked for, knew, and knew the CEOs of, whose values aligned with mine, that had an international flavour.

“It had to be something that I was really passionate about and there were about five or six companies. I sent letters out to a couple of them and one came back and said ‘Look, we’d like to have you on board’.”

Sarah and Stuart Nash discussed future employment options for the outgoing Napier MP before writing letters to select companies. Photo / Warren Buckland

He said he was excited by the new role which would use his networking skills and provide international prospects.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

“The CEO’s a really fantastic guy, the company promotes excellence - no mediocrity there - it’s global, there are opportunities and allows me to leverage off my networks, which is what I love doing.”

He would not divulge his exact role but said he would be reporting to the person who ran the Australasian arm of the corporate’s operation.

In giving his final speech as an MP before he retired from politics, Nash thanked “a group of exceptional mates” for their financial support of his campaigns. It was Nash’s communication with donors that was the final straw for Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who kicked Nash out of Cabinet and stripped him of his ministerial portfolios in March.

It followed controversial remarks made earlier this year which was sparked by a Newstalk ZB interview during which Nash criticised a judge’s sentencing and referenced a prior conversation with his “mate” the Police Commissioner to ask “surely you are going to appeal?”