Watch as National deputy Paula Bennett ordered out of Parliament by Speaker, a day after storming out of House

May 24, 2018

National Party deputy Paula Bennett has been ordered to leave the House, just a day after she walked out after a disagreement with Speaker Trevor Mallard. 

"This has got to the point of being ridiculous," Mr Mallard said to Gerry Brownlee during question time today. 

Voices can be heard in the background, then Mr Mallard said: "Paula Bennett will leave the Chamber."

It came just after National MP David Bennett was made to withdraw and apologise, for "reflecting on the chair on my ruling, again", Speaker Mr Mallard said. 

The National deputy was kicked out of Parliament by Speaker Trevor Mallard today.

Mr Brownlee and Ms Bennett emerged from the Chamber today, with Mr Brownlee saying "the matter is not settled". 

"Those who think we have backed down, that's wrong, we haven't."

When asked if the public would be proud of the House of Representatives behaviour today, Mr Brownlee said, "I don’t think they possibly could be".

He said the debate should be about running the country.

Ms Bennett said she thought National went into the House "with good faith" today.

She said she was disappointed to be kicked out of the House, "yesterday I may have let the frustration get to me, but today I really, quite genuinely wanted to find a half way point where we could get on with it". 

It comes a day Ms Bennett walked out of the Chamber over a disagreement with the Speaker over supplementary questions.

"Nah, I'm leaving," Ms Bennett said to Mr Mallard after a heated discussion about the adding and removal of supplementary questions. "What a waste of time."

When she returned later that day, Ms Bennett was asked to withdraw and apologise for comments Mr Mallard said she made when leaving the Chamber. 

Mr Brownlee has expressed concerns with Mr Mallard's handling of question time, and claims a MP was heard to call Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a "stupid little girl".

A culprit has not been found, and it has emerged Mr Mallard was the person who said he heard the comment. 

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