Anti-trans rant and abuse of MP disrupts select committee, Ginny Andersen attacked

Name: Public-private partnerships, Chateau Tongariro and building consents | Focus Morning Bulletin March 21, 2024
Uploaded: 2024-03-21T07:46:45+13:00
Description: The Government considers private investors to build more Kiwi schools, how much Chateau Tongariro is costing taxpayers to sit empty and why Tauranga’s been labelled the country’s most ‘unaffordable city’ in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZHerald

RNZ

20 Mar, 2024 11:47 PM2 mins to read

The Government considers private investors to build more Kiwi schools, how much Chateau Tongariro is costing taxpayers to sit empty and why Tauranga’s been labelled the country’s most ‘unaffordable city’ in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZHerald

By RNZ

A member of the public has momentarily derailed a parliamentary select committee with an anti-trans rant and verbal abuse of an MP.

The justice select committee was hearing feedback on a bill which would give remand prisoners more access to rehab programmes.

It includes a provision giving transgender and intersex prisoners the right to choose the sex of the prison officer searching them.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier had earlier told MPs it would preserve the dignity of gender-diverse prisoners.

One of the submitters - introduced as Rex Landy from a group called “TAW” - voiced her strong opposition before attacking Labour’s Ginny Andersen.

“Security breaches happen all the time, and no I’m not here to answer questions from you - you get men out of women’s jail and stop this bill. It’s a load of rubbish and as for you Ginny you’re a f****** disgrace.”

MPs on the committee groaned at that, before the chair - National’s MP for Rangitata James Meager - stopped the submission.

“Thank you for your time, we’ll end that there - sorry about that Ginny,” he said.

“That’s alright,” she replied.

Landy has previously appeared at select committees to oppose the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill, and the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill. Both times she clashed with MPs.

Nicknaming herself the “TERF Jester” on YouTube, Landy has been banned from X for violating its hateful conduct rule.

It follows Labour MP and former sport and recreation minister Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech the night before, in which he identified concerns about rising bigotry targeted towards trans people.

“I am particularly concerned at the way our trans community have been the subject of increasing hatred, bigotry and lies as a result of the ongoing culture wars,” he said.

A member of the public has momentarily derailed a parliamentary select committee with an anti-trans rant and verbal abuse of an MP. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“I saw this especially in the sports portfolio. People with absolutely no care for women’s sport suddenly became warriors for safety in pursuit of an imagined enemy.

“The othering of trans people is despicable. We have to support people to live the lives that they want to live and to show them some respect.”