Chlöe Swarbrick was kicked out of Parliament this afternoon during a debate on Palestine — and initially suspended for a week before the Speaker of the House rethought his decision.
Yesterday, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was weighing up its position on the recognition of Palestine as a state.
Recently, the UK, Canada, France and Australia have shared their plans to recognise Palestine as a state.
A urgent debate was called in Parliament this afternoon over the matter.
During the debate, Swarbrick called on the Government to pick up the Green Party’s bill to “sanction Israel for its war crimes”.
The bill, proposed by the Greens in March, was supported by the Labour Party and Te Pāti Māori, and needed six other MPs to support it to pass.
“If we find six of 68 Government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history,” said Swarbrick.
In response, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee said: “That is completely unacceptable to make that statement. Withdraw it and apologise.”
Swarbrick: “No.”
Brownlee: “Then leave the House for the rest of the week.”
Swarbrick: “Happily.”
Fellow Green Party MPs also left with her.
Outside of the House, Swarbrick was asked by reporters what she made of the removal.
“Genocide is unfolding, and our Government is sitting on its hands.”
Asked if she should have been removed, she said: “No… as far as the robust debate goes in that place I think that was pretty mild in the context of the war crimes that are currently unfolding.”
The Greens co-leader was asked to leave after suggesting MPs “grow a spine” and support her in sanctioning Israel. (Source: 1News)
As to whether Swarbrick thought the punishment was excessive, she said: “Yes.”
Brownlee clarifies decision
Shortly after, Brownlee said he would give Swarbrick the opportunity to apologise inside the House tomorrow, but if she didn’t apologise, she would be ordered to leave again.
After a point of order by Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March, questioning whether a Member could be summarily suspended for a week, Brownlee resumed the Speaker chair to respond.
“The comment I made was that it could be for the rest of the week,” he said. “That was because, while it is true the Member can only be removed from the House for the sitting day, the requirement for an apology does not lapse.
“If the Member comes back in tomorrow and at the start of proceedings, after the prayer, takes a point of order and withdraws and apologises for the offensive remark, then that will be fine. If she doesn’t, she’ll be leaving the House again.
“I’m not going to sit in this chair and tolerate a Member standing on her feet, or his feet, or their feet, and saying that other Members in the House are spineless. That is completely unacceptable and I made it very clear at the start of the special debate that I expected it to be held in a manner which was respectful of the various views held across the House.”
The Speaker was not able to bar a member but could remove them for the day and refer the matter to the Privileges Committee for a more serious punishment to be considered.