Auckland (The NZ Today)
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was ordered to leave Parliament after using offensive language during a heated debate over legislation being considered under urgency.
The incident occurred while MPs were debating the Move-On orders legislation, with Assistant Speaker Barbara Pugh ruling that Ngarewa-Packer had used a highly offensive term directed at the chair.
Ngarewa-Packer acknowledged using the word but argued that similar language had previously been used in the debating chamber by other MPs.
She said the term had been used multiple times in Parliament and questioned why it was being treated differently from other language used during proceedings.
Assistant Speaker Pugh said she found the remark offensive and asked Ngarewa-Packer to leave the chamber.
The situation escalated further when Labour MP Willie Jackson challenged the ruling and continued speaking despite being asked to sit down.
After repeated directions, the Assistant Speaker instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to assist Jackson in leaving the chamber.
Earlier in the debate, Te Pāti Māori MP Oriini Kaipara had been reminded to use parliamentary language after using the phrase “bull-crap” during her speech. Pugh later clarified and apologised to Kaipara after confirming she had not used the offensive term at the centre of the dispute.
The incident came during debate on the Government’s Move-On orders legislation, which was being progressed under urgency in Parliament.
Source: Parliamentary proceedings; RNZ
