Why were former MP singled out?
Newshub reports:
So enraged by the fact, Peters on Wednesday filed to take the Speaker to court.
“These things cost a lot of money – but somebody’s got to do it,” Peters said.
“If others won’t raise a finger when we should be raising the roof, I know what sort of society we are going to end up with.”
He said Mallard is “out of control” and “power drunk”.
“This is dictatorial. It demonstrates some people think they’ve got power they haven’t got.”
Peters was finding a friend in a foe at Parliament.
“I’m defending the rights of all New Zealanders and even Winston Peters has human rights,” ACT’s David Seymour said.
Even the Prime Minister questioned Mallard’s call.
“It is a bit different when people are arrested versus just simply just attending,” Jacinda Ardern said.
I agree with the Prime Minister on this.
In total 151 trespass notices were issued, with 144 of those going to people arrested at the protest. Seven more were issued to what Parliamentary Services called persons of interest. But five of those were withdrawn on Wednesday.
Few would dispute that trespass orders against those arrested are appropriate. But who were the other seven people?
- Former Deputy PM and NZ First Leader Winston Peters
- Former National MP and DemocracyNZ Party Leader Matt King
- Former ACT MP Stephen Franks
- Former Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox
- Former ACT Leader Rodney Hide
- ?
- ?
That is a terrible look. Five of the seven trespassed are former MPs. The Speaker said that the Parliamentary Service Commission resolved former MPs should not be treated differently, to justify the trespass notices. But they have been treated differently – they were trespassed because they were former MPs. And four of them current or former party leaders. It’s the sort of thing you expect in an autocracy. Thank goodness they have been withdrawn as otherwise I might have felt obliged to donate to Winston’s legal fund – and for me that would be as pleasant as a holiday in Gaza.