ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Politics
SILVER LININGS
Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick will still have a busy week ahead despite being kicked out of Parliament for the remainder of it.
Swarbrick was ejected from the House of Representatives and barred for the week after a fiery speech about the war in Gaza this afternoon. The Speaker Gerry Brownlee said she was out of line when she said she needed just six of 68 “Government MPs with a spine” for the country to “stand on the right side of history”.
Swarbrick refused to apologise and Brownlee told her to leave the House, to which she replied “Happily”.
But in a surprising twist, the Green Party firebrand seemed almost relieved by her sudden parliamentary exile for the rest of the week.
Swarbrick spoke to our reporters.
“Honestly, it’s now going to be a good chance to catch up on things over the next few days as I’ve been putting off washing the damn team kit again,” she told our reporters with a wry smile.
“I absolutely copped it at the last fine session, so it’ll be good for me to actually be on top of the important things. Those keffiyehs are already piling up in my laundry,” Swarbrick said without shouting at our reporters.
Naturally, co-leader Marama Davidson actually welcomed Swarbrick being absent for the rest of the week. “Chlöe’s been so busy fighting in the House, she’s barely had time to lift a finger at home. This week, she finally gets to put her passion into something tangible- a clean kit!”
When pressed on whether she will miss being in the Beehive, Swarbrick was resolute.
“No meetings, no more fiery speeches, just some calm washing, drying, and maybe even folding them properly for the team too.”
More to come.
