The National Party's Chief Whip has urged the Greens to take the action they would expect of other parties after one of their senior MPs intimidated a Minister.
Julie Anne Genter has apologised after she yelled in the face of Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey during a debate in the House on Wednesday night.
National's Chief Whip Scott Simpson told Newshub on Thursday morning Genter's behaviour in the House was "extraordinary" and something he had never seen during his time in Parliament.
"I'll be talking to colleagues later this morning but I would have thought now the leadership of the Green Party would take the action that they would expect had it occurred to a member of their Party," Simpson said.
When asked what action should be taken, Simpson said: "Well, that's up to the Green Party but they have usually expressed very high moral grounds in instances of this sort and now it is time for them to reciprocate."
Genter could face further disciplinary action as it's understood National would likely lodge a privileges complaint.
Genter was due to appear at the Transport Select Committee on Thursday but Newshub understands she attended via Zoom.
A Greens spokesperson said the party's co-leaders, Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson, had spoken with Genter and "made clear their expectations".
"Julie Anne Genter's actions were clearly unacceptable and do not meet the standards of what we expect of Green Party MPs," the spokesperson said on Wednesday night. "Julie Anne has apologised to the Speaker and to the House."
Swarbrick wasn't in the House when the outburst occurred but told Newshub Genter's behaviour was "inexcusable".
"We make absolutely no excuses for it. It was unacceptable behaviour and Julie Anne has apologised for it," she said.
When asked whether Genter was fit to be an MP, she said:
"This is a one-off instance of unacceptable behaviour and at the end of the day, we continue working with all of our MPs. We also have to acknowledge that this has occurred in the midst of quite a traumatic week for us with the resurfacing of a huge amount of grief – but again that makes absolutely no excuse."
Earlier this week, MPs paid tribute to Fa'anānā Efeso Collins in Parliament two months after his death. On Wednesday, former Green Party co-leader James Shaw gave his valedictory speech after resigning earlier this year.
Swarbrick said the Greens will work with whoever needs to be worked with in order to progress restoration.
Doocey told Newshub he was "taken back a bit" by Genter's behaviour.
"In 10 years, I haven't seen anything like that," Doocey said.
He would not comment further.
Genter has been an MP for 13 years, serving as a Minister during the Labour-NZ First Coalition Government, when the Greens entered into a confidence and supply agreement.
She is currently the Green Party spokesperson for seven portfolios and is a member of the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee.
What happened
The outburst occurred as Labour's Rachel Boyack was asking the Transport Minister about projects in the South Island, expressing concern that there were only a small number planned in the South.
In particular, she was asking about a delay in the Hope Bypass when Doocey, the Associate Minister for Transport, interjected.
It is not clear what Doocey said, however, in response Genter got up out of her seat and approached him with a book, slammed it down on his desk, and started yelling and waving her arms at him.
Deputy Speaker Barbara Kuriger interrupted, demanding Genter go back to her seat.
"We are just going to have some order here, sorry Rachel Boyack, we will have order. We know that transport is one of those touchy subjects but if we want to get the best out of the minister, interjections are fine but it would be good if we could just ask the questions and let the minister answer them," Kuriger said.
"…It is not appropriate to get out of one's seat to have an argument with someone on the other side."
Boyack then continued with her question, however, the matter was later brought to Speaker Gerry Brownlee's attention.
Scott Simpson, National's chief whip, asked Brownlee to be recalled to the House because of Genter's actions.
"Genter strode across the chamber of the House and physically accosted Minister Doocey in a threatening and intimidating way that I think is utterly unbecoming and unparliamentary of this Chamber," Simpson said.
"I have never seen behaviour of that sort in this Chamber in my time in this House and I think it is a serious matter that warrants an intervention."
Green MP Steve Abel, who wasn't in the House at the time of the incident but watched it on Parliament TV, said there was no physical contact and his colleague wanted to show Doocey the data in her booklet.
"She's a very science and data-driven person," he said.
National's Dr Vanessa Weenink said Genter was making "angry, loud and quite intimidating actions" to Doocey.
"That was an extraordinary outburst and it was intimidating in its nature," she said.
ACT MP Karen Chhour added it looked like a huge amount of intimidation, that was very close to Doocey and if it was her she would have felt intimidated.
Genter then stood up and apologised.
"If I could apologise for my actions Mr Speaker. It was the last thing that 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. "
Brownlee said it was not appropriate for any MP to stand on the floor of Parliament and called Genter to speak.
"That is why, Mr Speaker, I'm apologising, that I was physically intimidating. That was not my intention and I will not do that in the future."
"Well we don't want to see that happen again," Brownlee replied.
He suggested if she has those "passionate feelings" to a point she needs to intervene like that again she should go out of the House.
"That would be a much better solution," he said.
If someone feels there has been a breach of privilege, they know there is a course of action to follow in that regard, Brownlee added.
'Extraordinary', 'serious' and 'unbelievable' – MPs react
MPs have been shocked by Genter's behaviour, with many of them saying they never thought they would see such a display in the House of Parliament.
Newshub asked MPs what they thought about Genter's outburst as they arrived at Parliament on Thursday morning.
Deputy Speaker Barbara Kuriger said the incident was pretty intense and had certainly shaken some MPs.
"I was listening to Rachel Boyack making her speech and the next thing I turn around and I see Miss Genter overfull in the face of Matt Doocey," she said.
"I couldn't fully see what was happening… But it was certainly inappropriate."
Also in the House last night was National MP Dr Vanessa Weenink who said she was "very concerned", while National MP Grant McCallum said it was "one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen".
National MP Tom Rutherford also witnessed the incident, calling it "pretty disappointing" and "very unparliamentary". Meanwhile, Labour MP Jan Tinetti said it was "pretty unbelievable".
"It's something that I never thought that I'd ever see," Tinetti said.
National's Greg Fleming said he couldn't believe it was happening.
"It was odd. Not something I thought that I would see in Parliament… I was perplexed by the whole thing," Flemming said.
National deputy leader Nicola Willis said it looked like Genter was "having a pretty bad night" and National Minister Simon Watts said from what he has seen in the media, it looked "pretty serious".
Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March said Genter's behaviour was "unacceptable conduct".
"We've made it really clear that we expect better of our MPs," he said.
