MPs stage protest walkout

National MP Sandra Goudie. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Opposition MPs staged a walkout at a parliamentary committee today in a protest against the conduct of the chairwoman, National MP Sandra Goudie.

Labour MPs Clayton Cosgrove, Rick Barker and Carmel Sepuloni and Green MP David Clendon walked out of the law and order select committee.

Mr Cosgrove said the walkout was a protest at Ms Goudie's conduct.

It was the "culmination of 18 months in which she had refused to respect the democratic role of Opposition MPs to ask questions and challenge government departments", he said.

Mr Cosgrove said Ms Goudie should study the way other committee chairs worked, specifically National's Chester Borrows who was "unfailingly polite" and seemed to want Opposition MPs to contribute to the democratic process.

"It's a matter of giving everyone a fair go."

Mr Cosgrove said he would write to Speaker Lockwood Smith about Ms Goudie's behaviour.

- NZPA