Act MP Karen Chhour breaks down over ‘bullying behaviour’ in Parliament

New Zealand First MP and Children's Minister Karen Chhour gives a response to the publication of the Abuse in Care report in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Act MP Karen Chhour says Parliament feels like an unsafe work environment for her.

Chhour told Stuff she felt bullied at work and that recent debate around policy had shifted to personal attacks.

“I can’t control what the public is saying about my personal traits around being Māori enough or not being the right kind of traumatised person, hearing it from other MPs, that shouldn’t be allowed,” she told the outlet. “I’m still a person.”

Chhour, the Children’s Minister, said it felt like this was being stripped of her “day by day”.

“I’ve asked for an apology, that’s all I wanted, and I didn’t get one and that’s so disrespectful,” she told Stuff through tears.

Yesterday, Parliament opened with Act Leader David Seymour saying he had correspondence in which Speaker Gerry Brownlee appeared “to give a green light to racial harassment”. He told the Herald he was beginning to lose confidence in Brownlee.

One of the issues contributing to the relationship breakdown is tension between Act and Te Pāti Māori over matters relating to race, which have escalated as Chhour began shepherding the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act through the House.

That section includes Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations.

During general debate in May, Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi said “E te Minita, ka aroha ki a koe kua karetaohia e tō pāti. Kia kaha rā”.

It was only when reading the translated Hansard of this statement later that Chhour understood the meaning of the remarks, which was: “To the minister, how sad that you have been made a puppet by your party. Be strong.”

Chhour told the Herald she complained to the Speaker about the incident, as well as others, where she felt she was being subject to “bullying behaviour” rather than being attacked on issues of policy.

“I went to the Speaker’s Office and said I was really concerned this is starting to become continuous bullying behaviour in the House,” Chhour told the Herald.

Chhour said she was later told by Brownlee that Kapa-Kingi would come to her with an apology. However months later, Chhour has yet to hear back from Kapa-Kingi.