Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has again been kicked out of Parliament after refusing to apologise for a comment she made yesterday in the House.
Yesterday, Swarbrick was kicked out of Parliament during an urgent debate on recognising Palestine as a state.
The debate was called after Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was weighing up its position on the issue.
In recent times, the UK, Canada, France and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state.
During the debate on Tuesday, Swarbrick said MPs could “grow a spine” and support her bill which would impose sanctions on Israel.
In response, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee said: “That is completely unacceptable to make that statement. Withdraw it and apologise.” When she refused, Brownlee said she would have to leave for the rest of the week and removed her from the House.
However, Brownlee later signalled he would again give Swarbrick the opportunity to apologise in the House today, where she then could avoid being barred.
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Returning to the House today, Swarbrick refused to withdraw and apologise, and at first, didn’t leave when asked.
Brownlee then called a vote to name her, which the majority of MPs supported.
Swarbrick then removed herself from the House.
Peters: ‘Wasn’t offensive enough to be booted’
Earlier, when heading into the House, NZ First leader Winston Peters spoke out against Swarbrick’s removal.
“I didn’t agree with one thing she said, but it wasn’t offensive enough to be booted out,” he said.
“If you can have John Key say ‘get some guts’, or accept the C-word — which was outrageous — then how can you be offensive in that context?
“Parliament is a robust theatre for debate. People have serious emotional concerns about what they believe in, and to take away the essence… about the emotional concern you are talking about, is to neuter the place, and that’s bad for New Zealand’s democracy.”
Netanyahu ‘lost the plot’ – Luxon
On his way into the House, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued fresh criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his role in the war in Gaza.
“I think what’s happening in Gaza is utterly appalling. I think Netanyahu has gone way too far, I think he has lost the plot.”
Luxon said overnight attacks on Gaza City were “utterly unacceptable”.
“He is not listening to the international community, and that is unacceptable.”
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was today asked whether he would agree with Luxon’s comment on Netanyahu. “Probably, yes, actually, that’s probably quite an astute observation.”
Hipkins said he took a moment to pause before answering, looking surprised, because of the “strength of the language”.
‘Uncharted territory’ – Swarbrick
After leaving the House, Swarbrick said Brownlee had “been explicit about the fact he was the member who took personal offence” to her comment yesterday.
“We are in uncharted territory. As far as I am aware, there is no situation where a Speaker has asked for somebody to withdraw and apologise, that person has refused to apologise, then been ordered to leave the House, i.e. being punished, the person has complied, and then the Speaker has sought to reopen the issue the very next day.
“It would appear that now we are in a position where things are being completely made up.”
When asked about Luxon’s comments on Netanyahu, Swarbrick said: “The Government has yet to put any meaningful substance behind their words.”
She said the very least the Government could do was “apply the exact same approach they did to Russia” – again referencing her bill to apply sanctions to Israel.
