Points of Order — Withdrawal of Member—Duration of Suspension

Point of order, Thank you very much. I’m just raising this at the earliest available opportunity, having sought to not interrupt someone else’s speech. I’m just seeking your clarity on the ruling that was made and on whether that is applied to just Chlöe Swarbrick, or members as well who left the Chamber after being required to apologise. I’m seeking clarification on the consistency of who this ruling is being applied to. I’m further seeking clarification, as well, as to whether this is specifically to the language of “growing a spine”. I wanted to note there have been several instances of that language, including in 2022 and in 2023, by the Hon Judith Collins and the Hon Paul Goldsmith. I’m just wanting to seek clarification as to, again, whether this is just in relation to one member who didn’t apologise and it’s applied to others, or whether it’s specifically about the use of the language, which has occurred before.

I can assure you it’s in relation to the member. I don’t know if you’ve had relayed to you what the Speaker’s ruling was. It was that, because she hadn’t apologised, the requirement that she only be stood down for the day was overridden by the need for her to apologise for that. It’s up to her, tomorrow afternoon when the House resumes, at the first opportunity, to make that apology.

Speaking to the point of order, what I was seeking clarification about was that that wasn’t the only instance in which someone was asked to apologise and didn’t and left the Chamber. So far, I have only heard the ruling applied to one specific member. That’s why I’m asking as to whether this is a new, for example, ruling in which any member that leaves the Chamber without apologising just has to basically apologise the next day, as is being required of Chlöe Swarbrick, or whether that’s also going to be required of other members who have left the Chamber without apologising after being asked to do so.

Well, at this stage, the determination is in relation to Ms Swarbrick. The Speakers will always have discretion to apply the rulings to fit the circumstances which they are confronted with, and that’s the circumstance now. At this stage, there is always the opportunity to create or to rewrite the Standing Orders and the Speakers’ rulings, but, at this stage, I can’t make a decision on that. At this stage, the rulings that have been presented by the Speaker are in relation to Ms Swarbrick.