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Julie Anne Genter breaks silence - and offers three more apologies
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EXCLUSIVE: Embattled Green MP Julie Anne Genter says she has let down
the Green Party but says she can "do better" — and has offered three
new apologies.
1News caught up with Genter before she left for the Chatham Islands
today.
It's the first time she has spoken publicly since she had an outburst
in Parliament last week, confronting National's Matt Doocey — a scene
that deputy speaker Barbara Kuriger said she'd never before seen the
like of before in the House.
Genter had risen from her seat, crossed the floor of the House, and
stood over Doocey. She waved a large book at him and yelled "read the
report" and "what is wrong with you?"
Shortly after the outburst, Genter apologised for her behaviour in
Parliament, but the Green Party has launched a disciplinary process.
Green co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick said her
behaviour was unacceptable and could not happen again. Davidson said
Genter was "working from home", something the party thought best.
It meant since the outburst Genter had not fronted the media to
account for her behaviour.
Julie Anne Genter on Tuesday. (Source: 1News)
Speaker Gerry Brownlee also confirmed today Genter would be referred
to Parliament's Privileges Committee after complaints from other MPs
about the incident. The committee considers the behaviour of MPs and
can administer punishments — such as censure or compelling an apology
— as a result.
Genter told 1News today that, as the matter was now before the
Privileges Committee, she could not comment in detail on that
incident.
She was asked if she considered her behaviour intimidating, whether
she'd spoken to Doocey, and what exactly happened on Wednesday in the
House.
Green MP Julie Anne Genter confronted National's Matt Doocey in the
House. (Source: Supplied)
"I immediately apologised and I stand by that apology, and I accept
that it was too far."
But Genter was able to respond to subsequent allegations from members
of the public, including Four Seasons florist Laura Newcombe.
Newcombe has alleged Genter filmed her in her store with her phone and
had a heated discussion about a cycleway outside it. Newcombe has been
a vocal opponent of the cycleway, while Genter — herself an avid
cyclist — is a proponent of cycleways.
Genter said she had entered the store to buy flowers for a friend who
was in Wellington Hospital — across the road — at the time.
"I was surprised at the level of anger. I thought I could de-escalate
the situation but ultimately I should have walked away."
She said it was the closest flower shop to the hospital: "I wanted to
buy flowers for my friend who is dying.
"I was not aware [it was Newcombe's shop]. I was taken aback at the
reaction and I should have walked out. It is important to me to have
respectful conversations."
Asked why she filmed Newcombe and what she hoped to achieve by doing
it, Genter repeatedly replied: "I should have walked out.
"I accept that sometimes when dealing with people who are very upset,
I haven't been able to stay calm and I need to know when to walk away.
Julie Anne Genter boarding her flight to the Chatham Islands. (Source:
1News)
"I apologise for pulling out my phone. I was under a lot of stress in
that situation."
She said she'd deleted the footage from her phone.
"I don't want to go into the details of what was said, but I will say
that I understand that some people are very angry about situations and
it's important for me to be able to stay calm and to listen to their
concerns and to empathise with them."
Another member of the public — Nicola Cranfield, who owns Cranfield's
retail store — had also emerged with an allegation Genter had grabbed
her arm.
Cranfield was also a vocal opponent of Let's Get Wellington Moving, a
transport plan that included improved and expanded cycleways and a
reduction of parking along the Golden Mile, which her shop is nearby.
Green MP Julie Anne Genter has spoken publicly for the first time
since she confronted National's Matt Doocey in Parliament
Genter said she did not recall grabbing Cranfield's arm but did recall
the interaction, saying it was "more than a year and half ago".
"If I did [grab her], I apologise, absolutely, that would be totally
unacceptable."
It was another example, she said, of a situation where she was "not
prepared for the level of anger" from a member of the public.
Asked about what accountability she took for her own level of anger,
Genter said in both instances she was "not angry, and I was not
looking for an argument in those situations".
"I accept and recognise that I could have walked away sooner and
that's what I will be working on doing in the future."
Julie Anne Genter's plane leaving for the Chatham Islands. (Source:
1News)
Genter said she was very passionate about the subjects she worked on —
which included transport — and said she had probably had "thousands"
of conversations with people who disagreed with her over the last 10
years.
"I always want to hold myself to the highest standard of behaviour and
I accept that I need some support to get better at de-escalation."
She said she was fully cooperating with the party's process "to get me
more support".
"I think I have let down the party and I apologise for that."
Asked if she had considered quitting politics in the wake of the
scandal, Genter said she was "really committed".
"I've had a lot of messages of support over the last few days that say
that people think I should stick with it, and the people who voted for
me, I think I owe it to them — in Rongotai — to continue to try and
represent them, whether they voted for me or not.
"I really believe that I can do better in those very heated situations
and I'm planning to do that."
Genter said she had not fronted the media as she was respectful of the
Privileges Committee process.
She said it was important she attend annual Chatham Islands
Stakeholder Forum as the MP for the area, and she had booked leave to
do so in January.
## 'Julie Anne has messed up here' — Greens
Asked if it was possible Genter could lose the Greens' transport
portfolio, co-leader Marama Davidson said "not at all".
"She's one of this country's most experienced and passionate MPs when
it comes to transport. What is important is that she knows that the
action in the House was wrong, she is accepting a process to be able
to provide support so that this may never happen again."
Davidson said the Greens wanted to support Genter to be "the best and
the strongest that she can be".
She said it was "important for MPs to be passionate".
"We're all passionate MPs.
"The attacks on people, communities and planet is bound to make us all
passionate about our work — we want that, right? But what we can do is
make sure that that behaviour in the House that happened, never
happens again."
Greens co-leaders Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson. (Source: 1News)
Davidson said Genter was already feeling some consequences for her
behaviour.
She said disciplinary actions from the Greens' internal process would
be confidential.
Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said: "Julie Anne has messed up here" and
"crossed a line".
The Greens' internal disciplinary process was making it "abundantly
clear" Genter could not repeat behaviour like Wednesday's incident.
"Many Members of Parliament in this place have screwed up time and
time again and when that occurs we expect our Members of Parliament to
acknowledge that they have messed up, to front up to that and to move
forward."
When it was put to the co-leaders that National's Tim van de Molen had
had his portfolios stripped from him due to "threatening" behaviour,
Davidson said the two couldn't be paralleled.
_— additional reporting by Felix Desmarais._
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