When a bill on ACC payouts for firefighters and birth injuries was going through committee stage on Friday, National MP Maureen Pugh sought clarity on the cover for firefighters, who are at risk of cancer from toxic fumes.
Deputy speaker Greg O’Connor shut down the discussion.
Shadow leader MP Michael Woodhouse retorted with, “This is outrageous. I’m out of here. What a load of s***, Greg.” He refused to withdraw his comment or apologise, then left the House.
Woodhouse says he was frustrated that O’Connor shut down discussion prematurely on a very important bill. “There were still many issues to be addressed, including the government’s own amendments to the bill.”
Pugh says, “Personally, I don’t think [O’Connor] had even read the bill that we were debating: he seemed confused about the content.”
Read more here, including a transcript of the end. Discuss it on The BFD.
