Tauranga byelection: Protest, 'fascism' claim, and people kicked out at debate

A man waving flags at a byelection event was escorted out by security. Photo / Kiri Gillespie

A Tauranga byelection hopeful was kicked out of a candidate's debate about education as representatives from other parties and interests protested and threatened to burn the New Zealand flag.

Outdoors and Freedoms Party candidate Sue Grey was not one of the candidates invited to take part in a University of Waikato byelection debate today to discuss the future of education in Tauranga.

So when she attended and tried to take a seat on the stage, security got involved.

Byelection candidates Sam Uffindell from National, Jan Tinetti from Labour, and Cameron Luxton from Act were featured as panellists in the debate. All three candidates have been the top three leading candidates in recent polling.

Before the debate began, Grey, who appeared to be live-streaming her visit to campus, was guided away from the seats onstage and told they were not for her.

Outdoors and Freedom Party candidate Sue Grey checks in with Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party leader Mike Appleby as she leaves a byelection debate she wasn't invited to. Photo / Kiri Gillespie

When the university senior deputy vice-chancellor Alister Jones called for all live-streaming to stop, as it was a closed meeting, but media were welcome, Grey stood up and disputed the instruction.

At this point, a man in another part of the lecture theatre began waving the New Zealand flag shouting "this is fascism". The man, wearing a suit and baseball cap with flames on it, continued waving the flag, and another smaller flag, saying he would burn it when he got home.

Security escorted the man outside as Grey continued her dispute about live-streaming.
Jones told Grey she would be asked to leave if she continued to interrupt. She then walked out with a handful of supporters saying she was "happy to leave" and they would have their own meeting.

Leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party Mike Appleby stood at the back of the theatre and yelled out that he was protesting the debate.

Appleby, wearing a shirt designed with cannabis plants in Rastafarian colours, said he was protesting that the party was not invited to the debate. He said he included Grey in his protest.

Jones said the university did not invite all 12 candidates because they only had an hour and it was important to keep the discussion open and about education.

With Grey and the man with the flag no longer in the theatre, the debate began with Uffindell, Tinetti and Luxon telling the education fraternity what they hoped for and what they would do to make the system better for all.

As the event ended, Appleby called out to Uffindell, asking if he would legalise cannabis.

The request was met with laughter from the crowd and no obvious answer from Uffindell.