Michael Forbes, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s deputy chief press secretary, has quit his job after shocking revelations he had secretly recorded women, including prostitutes, without their knowledge. The news came to light earlier this week after a sex worker claimed she found an open audio recording on Forbes’ phone as he was showering.

As reported by local media platform Stuff NZ, on further examination of his phone, there were several images and videos of women captured unknowingly even in supermarkets, gyms, and homes, it seems, filmed through windows. The phone also had audio from past sex encounters.

PM Luxon Reacts with Shock and Reproach

Prime Minister Luxon reacted with strong condemnation, labeling the event an “absolute shock.” He sympathized with the affected women and stated that he has “zero tolerance for any behavior that makes women or anyone feel unsafe.”

“My sympathy is with the women who made these complaints and who were made to feel unsafe because of the behavior of this individual,” Luxon stated on Thursday, a day after Forbes’ resignation.

Victim’s Discovery Led to Wider Revelations

The incident is said to have occurred in July 2024, when Forbes met a sex worker in a Wellington brothel. She saw the recording on his phone and, upon confronting him, got his password. She and other sex workers found a sickening collection of images, videos, and audio recordings.

Forbes was serving as press secretary to Social Development Minister Louise Upston when the incident occurred. He was upgraded to acting deputy press secretary to Luxon in February 2025.

Authorities Under Scrutiny for Handling of Complaint

Police had received a complaint in July last year from the Wellington brothel but did not pursue prosecution, claiming it did not reach the bar. But Luxon has now demanded an examination of “inter-agency processes” after discovering that police did not alert ministers to the investigation.

In a statement, Forbes made his “sincerest apologies to the women I have harmed” and confessed he was in a “downward spiral” because of unresolved trauma and stress when the events unfolded. Although he has since received professional treatment, he conceded not making a sincere effort to apologise sooner.

Political leaders are now indicating potential reforms to privacy legislation in response to the incident.