David Seymour thrown out of Parliament

  • 15/12/2017

ACT MP David Seymour was ordered to leave Parliament during a tense session on Friday afternoon.

MPs were debating the Government's Families Package Bill under urgency, and had been in the House for four hours.

Chairperson Adrian Rurawhe said he felt that points of order were being raised "to stop the vote".

Mr Seymour suggested that Mr Rurawhe had lost control of the House.

"Mr Chair can I put it to you that you've lost control of the House because of the way that you've chaired it," he said.

"If you're not going to allow me to speak when I have things to say in the response to the Minister's constructive comments on my amendment then there's no point in being here, and if you're going to expel members for re-litigating the point of order we might as well go anyway."

Mr Rurawhe then responded: "The member will leave the chamber."

At one point National MP Jami-Lee Ross yelled "this is outrageous" across the House.

Mr Ross wanted the Chairperson to adjourn the House for a lunch break at 1:00pm, but he declined to do so. 

Green MP Chloe Swarbrick said his request has parallels with the previous National government's legislation about meal and tea breaks. 

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