Green MP Julie Anne Genter found in contempt of the House, recommended to be censured

Green MP Julie Anne Genter has been found in contempt of the House for “intimidating” behaviour directed at another MP and it has been recommended she be censured.

A report just released by the Privileges Committee, which assessed Genter’s actions in the House in May, recommends the Rongotai MP be “censured by the House for acting in a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House acting in the discharge of their duty”.

While debating the Appropriation (2022/23 Confirmation and Validation) Bill on May 1, Genter stood over minister Matt Doocey and appeared to speak and gesture aggressively towards him.

The report said Genter had written to the committee and apologised for her actions, acknowledging her behaviour was “unparliamentary”.

The committee found there was “no further value” in holding an oral hearing of evidence to discuss the matter.

The committee had also found it warranted Genter apologise to the House “unreservedly and without qualification”.

Genter apologised in the House today.

“I absolutely regret the actions and I’ve apologised,” Genter told reporters ahead of her apology in the House.

“I will continue to apologise and to take the steps that I need to do to ensure I can do my job.

“I’m really grateful for the support that I’ve received from the Green Party and I’m working on ensuring that my behaviour doesn’t come across as intimidating in the future.”

She accepted the committee’s findings completely.

Committee members, comprising MPs across all parties, reviewed video and audio footage of the incident and confirmed the series of events which led to her behaviour.

The report outlined how Genter had taken exception with a roading-related interjection from Doocey and walked over him to show him a particular report.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey was the subject of Genter's behaviour. Photo / Mark Mitchell

She spoke to Doocey with a “raised voice” before moving to the side of his desk, raising her hands and speaking with the same volume.

Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee later referred the matter to the Privileges Committee.

On May 16, Genter wrote to the committee and accepted her actions were “disruptive to the proceedings of the House”.

“She stated that it was not her intention to be intimidating or threatening, but rather that she wished to present a written report to Mr Doocey on the topic of the debate,” the report read.

“Ms Genter acknowledged that her manner of doing so was not appropriate.”

Following the incident, Genter publicly acknowledged she would seek help to improve her conflict resolution skills as other allegations of Genter portraying similar behaviour emerged.

In being found in contempt of the House, Genter’s actions were deemed to impede a member of the House “in the discharge of the member’s duties, or has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such a result”.

The committee found it was not acceptable to approach an MP to engage with them in a separate debate on the floor of the debating chamber.

“It is particularly unacceptable to do so while leaning over another member in a way that could intimidate that member, regardless of whether that is the intention.”

Genter’s censuring was effectively the House publicly stating its condemnation of her actions.

The committee reached the same recommendation after considering “threatening” behaviour displayed by National MP Tim van de Molen last year towards Labour MP Shanan Halbert during a select committee.

He was found in contempt of the House and was told to apologise.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.