May 3, 2024 7:00am by David Farrar

Genter under fire

Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter.

Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time she has intimidated someone.

Flying off the handle, Genter was breaking all the rules of reason and Parliament when she got out of her seat – standing over Minister Matt Doocey screaming at him.

“What’s wrong with you,” Genter said.

The MPs were stunned as the chair tried to bring back order in the House.

I can’t ever recall anything even close to this – having an MP cross the floor to yell and berate an MP opposite. Imagine if this was reversed and when Genter was a Minister, Chris Bishop had stormed over to her, and yelled at her. He’d probably be gone burger (not that he would).

When asked whether Genter was fit to be an MP, Swarbrick said: “Look again this is a one-off instance of unacceptable behaviour.”

But a Wellington florist says it’s not a one-off.

“This is how she conducts herself, she is a bully,” florist Laura Newcombe told Newshub.

Newcombe has had Four Seasons Florist for 30 years. Recently a cycleway’s been installed – removing car parks outside her shop.

“My income has been easily halved,” she said.

Last week, Genter stopped by and Newcombe said the pair got into a heated exchange about Genter’s advocacy for the cycleways.

“She was very intimidating. She pulled out her phone, she put the phone camera right in my face and I was like ‘Okay, you need to leave now’ and then she started yelling and screaming over me that I didn’t care about her kids cycling,” Newcombe said.

Newshub asked Green co-leader Marama Davidson about the florist’s encounter to which she replied: “I understand that Julie Anne did pull a phone out and video the florist – that is completely unacceptable.”

There’s also now stories coming out about staff who feel they have been bullied.

The Green co-leaders were unable or refusing to say today whether they had ever witnessed Genter losing her temper – read into that what you will.

This is a nightmare situation for the Greens. From what I understand the co-leaders are angry they’re now dealing with two matters of disciplinary action for MPs – the internal investigation into Darleen Tana over whether she had any involvement in migrant exploitation is still ongoing.

And now a member of their caucus was accused of intimidation on two separate occasions – one involving a member of the public.

It’s worse than that for the Greens.

They have had: