Subj : Genter outburst: Deputy speaker had never seen anything like it
To   : All
From : News
Date : Thu May 02 2024 12:51 pm

Deputy Speaker and National MP Barbara Kuriger reacted in shock when she saw
a Green MP confronting a Government minister in the house yesterday evening,
and says she's never seen anything like it before.


Kuriger was presiding over the house yesterday evening when a debate on
transport became heated after Green MP Julie Anne Genter left her seat and
approached the desk of Mental Health Minister and Associate Transport
Minister Matt Doocey during a speech by Labour MP Rachel Boyack.


The Green MP could be heard saying, "read the report. read the report", as
she approached Doocey and then seemingly stood over him. She could also be
seen picking up a document and smacking it back down again on the minister's
desk as other MPs looked on in shock.


Speaking to reporters this morning, Kuriger said she was shocked upon
realising what was happening in the House.


"I was listening to Rachel Boyack make her speech, and the next thing I
turned around, I saw Ms Genter over, full in the face of Matt Doocey."

She called Genter's actions "certainly inappropriate".


When asked if she had ever seen anything like that before in the house
before, Kuruger said: "Not in my time".


During the incident, Kuriger could be heard saying, "Wow," as Genter asked,
"What is wrong with you?" to Doocey.


Kuriger then said: "Ms Genter, please resume your seat" on at least two
occasions.


When asked about it this morning, Kuriger said: "She did comply, she did go
back to her seat, I think the first time with the yelling going on she maybe
didn't hear me as clearly as she should've the first time."


"But she certainly heard me and went back to her seat."


She said the vibe in the house was "pretty intense" and "it's certainly
shaken a lot of MPs up".


Genter later apologised in the House.


"It was the last thing I wanted to do, to intimidate anyone in this House,"
she said.


"What has absolutely motivated me is a desire to share information that I
believe would be of benefit to everyone in this House, and I'm very sorry if,
in my passion to do so, I was intimidating. That was not my intention."

This morning, a Green Party spokesperson said: "Julie Anne Genter's actions
were clearly unacceptable and do not meet the standards of what we expect of
Green Party MPs."


"The co-leaders have talked to Julie Anne and made clear their expectations.
Julie Anne has apologised to the Speaker and to the House."


Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee had been recalled to consider the matter
after a motion was put forward by National MP Scott Simpson.


Labour is said not to have objected.


1News understands a complaint to Parliament's Privileges Committee was being
considered.


'A pressure cooker environment'
NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft said that while she wasn't in the house during the
incident, Parliament is a "pressure cooker environment", which means heated
moments can happen.


"I think that sometimes we all just need to take a breath."


National MP Greg Fleming, who was in the house during the incident, described
it to 1News as "odd" and "not something I thought I would see in Parliament,
certainly not in my first year".


He said he was "perplexed" by what was going on

"I probably kept looking at her and wondering when somebody was going to call
time on it."

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