Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says her party’s leadership are not taking a soft line on caucus behaviour after MP Julie Anne Genter shouted at a National Party colleague in a confrontation in Parliament.
Genter has been subject to a “disciplinary process” over the incident where she confronted MP Matt Doocey on the floor of Parliament.
However, she has kept her portfolio responsibilities for the Greens.
Last year, then-opposition leader Christopher Luxon suspended Waikato MP Tim van de Molen from his portfolios, after Parliament’s Privileges Committee found he was aggressive and threatening towards a Labour MP during a select committee hearing.
Speaking to Q+A, Swarbrick was challenged about whether the Green Party was holding softer standards for its own MPs. She did not rule out standing Genter down from her portfolios if an investigation found her in contempt of Parliament.
But the party co-leader drew a distinction between van de Molen and Genter’s incidents, suggesting they were “completely incomparable”.
“These are two completely different circumstances,” she said.
“Tim van de Molen, from my understanding of the situation, denied that what occurred occurred and obviously went through the privileges process.
“Julie Anne immediately apologised and acknowledged her actions were completely unacceptable and we’ve reinforced that from the get-go.”
Earlier in the interview, Swarbrick was read lines from a Privileges Committee report into Tim van de Molen’s actions, which she mistook as referring to Genter’s outburst.
Interviewer Jack Tame asked: “Quote: Aggressive in the sense of being hostile, unprofessional with an element that was objectively threatening but not in the sense of physical violence — do you know who that describes?”
Clearly Julie Anne Genter wants to set the record straight, says 1News political editor.
She responded: “I am assuming you are talking about the behaviour of Julie Anne Genter which she obviously immediately apologised for.”
‘Completely incomparable’ – co-leader claims
Despite confusing statements describing van de Molen’s actions for Genter’s, Swarbrick said: “I think that they’re completely incomparable situations.”
After allegations were raised, MP Tim Van de Molen defended himself in a letter to the Speaker, where he wrote his recollection was “significantly different” from another MP, who was in the room during the incident, and contested several of her allegations.
He wrote, “at no time was physical violence or intimidation ever involved or suggested”, adding that he was “saddened by this mischaracterisation of events”.
An independent reviewer found van de Molen in contempt of Parliament, finding he was “aggressive” and “objectively threatening, but not in the sense of physical violence”.
Senior political reporter Benedict Collins has the details.
The reviewer found Labour MP Shanan Halbert would have “reasonably” felt a “threat to his safety” — impeding him from later performing his Parliamentary duties — and that he was “effectively prevented” from leaving the room by van de Molen’s physical stance.
After the report findings were released, the National MP “fully accepted” the findings, though maintained he had a “different recollection of some aspects of the incident”.
Speaking today, Swarbrick said she didn’t want to make any excuses for Genter’s behaviour, while still stressing she was “incredibly knowledgeable and a hardworking MP”.
She later added that Genter made “immense contributions within the transport portfolio”.
Swarbrick said of potential further consequences: “If more things do end up being necessary as we work through this process, then we will work through that.”
It comes after allegations of more intimidating behaviour emerged, Political Editor Maiki Sherman reports.
She said: “Julie Anne is an incredibly knowledgeable and hardworking MP, who has made massive contributions in the transport space, but none of that is to make any excuses for the behaviour which happened that Wednesday night in Parliament.”
The co-leader said the public “chastising” was part of the consequences faced by Genter.
“Julie Anne made amends almost immediately. She acknowledged that she had done wrong. We are working through the Privileges Committee process, and we’ll see what the outcomes of that are. She’s getting personal and professional support.”
Tana investigation duration ‘out of my hands’ – Swarbrick
The Green Party co-leader was then asked about the progress of the investigation over allegations of migrant exploitation linked to MP Darleen Tana.
The first-term MP was suspended from her caucus and stood aside from Parliament when the allegations emerged publicly in March. The claims of migrant exploitation at an e-bike business owned by her husband were first reported by Stuff.
The investigation has now gone on for more than nine weeks.
Swarbrick said: “That’s actually unfortunately out of my hands. To that effect. We appointed the independent expert investigation.”
The party has confirmed Darleen Tana has been stood down after allegations of migrant exploitation at a business owned by her husband.
She added there had been further allegations levelled in the “public sphere”, which she implied had caused the investigation to take longer.
“There is a natural justice process that is underway. An MP has been accused of incredibly serious allegations. Those allegations need to be investigated,” the co-leader said.
“We operate in a world and we operate in a country where somebody is innocent until proven guilty. There is a reason that we have an independent expert investigator undertaking this work and natural justice has to be the priority.”
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air
