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Paula Bennett says she's received both violent and sexual threats during time working in Parliament

May 22, 2019

The Government Minister and the National Party deputy leader gives their thoughts on Breakfast’s Political panel.

National's Paula Bennett says her family worries about her, and she often worries about her children's safety in the job she does, but says the job is important.

She told TVNZ1's Breakfast today she had been subject to both sexual and violent threats during her time working at Parliament.

The statement comes after a review into bullying and harassment at Parliament yesterday revealed a toxic work environment, including three serious sexual assault claims .

"I've had times when we've certainly had the discussion of whether or not I should have security," Ms Bennett said.

"I do also get how important it is what we're doing and we are the front of it and for some people they can't control that anger, and in no way should we be inciting that or accepting any of that kind of behaviour."

She said Greens MP Golriz Ghahraman, who has been targetted by ACT Leader David Seymour in comments calling her a "menace to freedom" , should not be made to feel unsafe.

"We are human at the end of it and most of us are trying to do the best that we can in the circumstances we've got but for Golriz I hope she knows she's got another 120 MPs behind her, and as I say, she should not feel unsafe like that."

READ MORE: Speaker Trevor Mallard says David Seymour bullied Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman

Ms Bennett added that she had also had relationships of mutual respect and kindness in the workplace, even from opposing ends of the political spectrum. 

Speaking alongside Ms Bennet on Breakfast, NZ First MP Shane Jones said politics was "a robust business", but agreed people needed to be held to account for stepping beyond that.

"I think if people have suffered grievous behaviour that looks like a crime - go straight to police."

In politics, his attitude was "hard on the issues, soft on the person", he said.

"There is a virus of violence in terms of our societal, in too much of our family culture. I personally hate it, I see it far too often in my own people.

"I do think that Kiwis see us [politicians] as fair game, and unfortunately I say to the younger people coming into politics "bring the height of a rhinoceros", I mean we may come to distribute the milk of human kindness, but there is a very, very robust, critical, and often extremely hostile audience out there."

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