Green MP Julie Anne Genter apologises after confrontation with Minister Matt Doocey, could face further action

Green MP Julie Anne Genter has apologised in Parliament and could face further disciplinary action after a complaint was made of intimidatory behaviour toward Minister Matthew Doocey on Wednesday night.

Genter walked across the debating chamber to Doocey, waved a booklet and spoke angrily to him while getting close to his face.

The incident happened at about 8pm, while Labour’s Nelson MP Rachel Boyack was speaking and followed some interjections between Doocey and Genter. It was visible in the background of the footage on Parliament TV.

“Miss Genter. Miss Genter, please resume your seat,” demanded the chair at the time, Barbara Kuriger.

“It’s not appropriate to get out of one’s seat to go and have an argument with somebody on the other side.”

Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter. Photo / Marty Melville

Speaker Gerry Brownlee had to be recalled to the debating chamber to deal with the issue after National’s whip Scott Simpson asked Kuriger to do so.

Simpson said in Parliament that he had never seen anything like it, describing it as a “serious, intimidatory physical attack upon another member”.

“To have a member rise from their seat, stride across the house and then confront in a most intimidating manner a member of this Chamber, I think is utterly unparliamentary and warrants further investigation and sanction.”

Brownlee was called back in and Simpson urged him to sanction Genter.

After some other MPs spoke, Genter stood and said she would like to apologise, saying she had been trying to show Doocey some information in a booklet.

“It was the last thing I wanted to do was to intimidate anyone in this House. What has absolutely motivated me was a desire to share information that I believed would be of benefit to everyone in this House. And I’m very sorry if in my passion to do so, I was intimidating. That was not my intention.”

Minister Matt Doocey. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Genter could face further action if National opts to try to refer it to the Privileges Committee.

Brownlee said he had not seen the incident himself, but it would be open for MPs to lodge a privileges complaint if they felt it was warranted and that Genter’s apology was not sufficient.

Green MP Steve Abel noted there had been no physical contact and Genter had returned to her seat as soon as Kuriger had intervened.

National MP Vanessa Weenink said if it had been herself in Doocey’s place, and a male had been confronting her in the same way it would have been viewed differently and she considered it intimidatory. Act minister Karen Chhour also said it had seemed intimidatory.

It came on the same day former Green Party co-leader James Shaw gave his last speech in Parliament, marking the end of nearly nine years as leader and almost a decade as an MP.

Shaw began his valedictory speech at 5.30pm, speaking about the “white-knuckle ride that is politics”, recounting the exhaustion he felt during past election campaigns, the disappointment of political polls and the whirlwind of becoming a minister.

“I am simultaneously saddened and elated to be leaving [politics]. But mostly elated.”

Former Green Party co-leader James Shaw gives his last speech in Parliament tonight. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Infrastructure investment firm Morrison tonight announced Shaw is joining the company as an operating partner, based in Wellington.

Meanwhile, Greenbridge Capital Management says Shaw is also joining part-time as its director of climate opportunity and global development.

His valedictory speech followed his resignation as co-leader in January.

Green MPs’ recent turbulent history

The incident with Genter is the latest in a string of recent incidents for Green Party MPs.

Golriz Ghahraman resigned from Parliament in January amid multiple reports the former Green Party MP shoplifted which were investigated by police.

The former Green MP admitted to four shoplifting charges in the Auckland District Court in March over allegations she stole nearly $9000 worth of goods.

The 43-year-old stole $2060 of clothing from Scotties Boutique in Auckland’s Ponsonby on December 21 and was also charged with stealing $7223 worth of clothing from the same store two days later.

Former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman appeared in the Auckland District Court in March. Photo / Dean Purcell

Ghahraman, a qualified lawyer, was also charged with stealing $695 worth of clothing from Wellington’s Cre8iveworx store on October 22.

The final charge relates to the theft of a $389 navy cardigan from Standard Issue in Newmarket on December 22.

Judge Maria Pecotic remanded Ghahraman at large until her sentencing on June 24. The judge did not enter a conviction over any of the charges but may do so at Ghahraman’s sentencing.

The case was delayed twice due to third and fourth charges being added.

Three months later, Green MP Darleen Tana was suspended amid allegations she was linked to migrant exploitation at her husband’s company.

The claims first came to light on February 1 when Tana informed the party a complaint had been made to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) by a worker at her husband’s business, E Cycles NZ.

Former Green MP Darleen Tana.

“On February 9, the party was notified of a second complaint to the ERA,” a statement from co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chloe Swarbrick read.

In May last year, Elizabeth Kerekere quit the Green Party following a month of speculation about her future after she appeared to call a fellow MP a “crybaby” in a group chat.

Kerekere’s resignation followed a late night Zoom call with Green Party members. Kerekere set out her version of events, having been out of the public eye since a leaked message emerged appearing to call fellow Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick a “crybaby”.

That message triggered an internal party investigation.

Former Green MP Elizabeth Kerekere. Photo / Doug Sherring