Labour MP Ginny Andersen, who is facing accusations of yelling at a teenage volunteer on election night, says she is not a bully and has spoken to the family.
She does admit saying to her volunteers they should have done more door-knocking, but she says she doesn't remember raising her voice at teenage volunteers.
"I have no recollection of yelling that night," she told AM.
That night was election night, when Labour got a beating.
"I'd really like to say that the only person in the Labour Party who can be blamed for losing the Hutt South electorate is me," she said on Friday morning.
On Thursday, it was revealed Andersen is facing a complaint from a mother who alleged she yelled at her teenage children, who were volunteers, telling them "maybe you should have done some more door-knocking" and made them feel like this was the reason Labour and Andersen lost.
"I said in general we could have doorknocked more as a reason why we were behind," she told AM.
The complaint - which was leaked by a Labour Party member and not the family - also refers to another instance of alleged bullying behaviour going back three years. Andersen said she has known the young volunteer for a number of years and knows her family well.
"I would like the opportunity to be able to sit down and talk through what happened and offer my apology. I do believe this has been a misunderstanding," she said.
And Newshub can reveal in the six years Ginny Andersen has been an MP there's been a turnover of nine staff in her electorate office. A Labour Party spokesperson says this is in line with other MPs with most staff leaving following an election.
Newshub can also reveal there has also been another complaint made against Andersen by an electorate staffer. The spokesperson said no staff have resigned or raised issues since she has been a minister. Andersen was sworn into Cabinet earlier this year.
"In Parliament when you're working hard and fast in pressurised relationships, everyone sometimes has times when they probably could have been better but I've never had an instance when I've raised my voice," Andersen said this morning.
Andersen said she has always treated people respectfully and denies she is a bully.
Labour is assessing whether to conduct a full investigation into the complaint.
