Michael Forbes, once a trusted deputy chief press secretary to New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, resigned amid serious allegations involving secret recordings and photographs of women, primarily sex workers, without their knowledge or consent. The shocking revelations emerged after a sex worker discovered Forbes’ phone was secretly recording audio during an encounter in July 2024. Upon inspection, she uncovered numerous other recordings, videos, and photos depicting women in private and public settings.
The Discovery and Investigation
The initial discovery came as a deep shock, prompting police to seize both Forbes’ personal and work phones. Investigations revealed a collection of covertly taken photos and videos, some capturing women in vulnerable moments, including footage from private residences and public areas like Parliament grounds. Despite Forbes admitting to taking these recordings, authorities decided not to press charges, citing gaps in the current legal framework, which criminalizes only certain intimate visual recordings but does not adequately address non-consensual audio capture.
Legal Gaps and Limitations
New Zealand’s privacy laws currently do not comprehensively cover covert audio recordings, leaving a loophole that Forbes’ actions exploited. While voyeurism and harassment laws exist, they rely heavily on intent and context and fail to outright ban all forms of unauthorized surveillance. This legal ambiguity frustrated victims and advocacy groups, who argue that the law must evolve to protect individuals’ dignity in the digital age.
Political Fallout and Responses
Prime Minister Luxon publicly condemned Forbes’ behavior as “unacceptably short” of expected standards and expressed sympathy for the women affected. The scandal raised urgent questions about government vetting and internal reporting procedures. Luxon ordered a thorough review of existing policies to ensure such breaches could be prevented in the future. Meanwhile, Forbes apologized, admitting his past trauma and stress contributed to his misconduct but acknowledged his failure to properly make amends.
Calls for Reform and Broader Impact
Beyond one individual, the incident spotlighted systemic issues around consent and privacy, especially for vulnerable groups like sex workers. Advocacy organizations reported that covert recording is widespread and often unchallenged. The scandal has energized calls for stronger privacy protections and legal reforms that include non-consensual audio recording and digital harassment under criminal statutes. Many see this as a critical moment for New Zealand to update its laws to keep pace with modern technology and societal expectations.
