It will be interesting to see what the Green Party will do with Julie Anne Genter given the open letter from Pasfika Greens about the double standards the party seems to have when dealing with Julie Anne Genter compared to how Darleen Tana and Elizabeth Kerekere were handled.
Green MP Julie Anne Genter has been found in contempt of Parliament, with the powerful parliamentary Privilege Committee ruling she intimidated National’s Matt Doocey.
Genter, who is the MP for Rongotai, apologised in Parliament for the outburst which saw her rise from her seat and walk across the chamber towards Doocey, where she waved a book in his face and yelled: “Read the report”.
She will face “censure”, effectively a public telling off in the House of Parliament, “for acting in a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House acting in the discharge of their duty”.
She told reporters she was “working on ensuring her behaviour doesn’t come across as intimidating in the future”.
Genter said that had included “de-escalation training”, with sessions a couple of times a month.
“I've been focused on fully cooperating with the Privileges Committee with the internal disciplinary process, and taking ownership of my actions,” she said.
The definition of contempt includes an act that impedes a member of the House in the discharge of the member’s duties, or has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such a result.
It is a serious offence, which is handed down from the Privilege Committee – a cross party group of senior MPs, led by the Attorney General.
“We recommend that Ms Genter apologise to the House unreservedly and without qualification,” the committee wrote.
Stuff
Censure is basically a stern telling-off, something that Genter will no doubt shrug at.
What will be more interesting is how the Greens handle this, if at all. Will they ignore it? If they do actually do something, will it be weak and pathetic?
If it weren’t for double standards, the Greens would have no standards at all.
I imagine her apology will be very similar to the apology of Father Jack in Father Ted:
The Greens really do have a credibility problem now, with a long line of MPs either in trouble, or exited because of trouble.
They certainly aren’t the respectful Green Party of Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons, that much is certain.
They are now a party of angry, nasty, shouty, mean girls, with a strong dose of racism and anti-semitism thrown in.
Perhaps Chlöe Swarbrick was right in seeking to take the place of the Labour Party...as the Nasty Party?
