Anarcho-Communist
22nd June 2005, 21:01
Prime Minister Helen Clark racked up another first in her political career yesterday when she was removed from the House for breaking Parliament's rules.
Miss Clark, unlike many MPs, has never been ordered out of the House for misbehaviour.
Yesterday, Speaker Margaret Wilson took issue with Miss Clark interjecting while National MP Nick Smith was quizzing one of her ministers over the costs of complying with the Kyoto protocols.
Dr Smith started to ask a question: "Noting that emissions over the last five years have gone up two-and-a-half times the rate they were during the 1990s..."
Miss Clark interjected: "No growth."
Outraged National MPs said they had been booted out of the House for breaking Parliament's rules - known as Standing Orders - and Miss Clark had done the same by not remaining silent while a question was being asked.
Ms Wilson has been asked by MPs to more strictly enforce Standing Orders than some of her predecessors and she complied.
"Those rules I am afraid do apply to everyone. So I am sorry I will have to ask the prime minister to leave," Ms Wilson said.
A less then contrite looking Miss Clark then left the House chatting to a few of her colleagues as she left.
A spokesman confirmed later it was the first time that Miss Clark had been ejected and she would "abide by the referee's ruling".
It brought back memories of another Labour prime minister David Lange and Oppostion leader Jim Bolger both being removed in 1987, the pair leaving the House arm-in-arm.
National leader Don Brash was also dismissed from the House yesterday for the first time in his three year political career.
He interjected during a point of order and when Labour MPs pointed out that this was also a breach of Standing Orders, Ms Wilson duly gave him his marching orders.
Miss Clark, unlike many MPs, has never been ordered out of the House for misbehaviour.
Yesterday, Speaker Margaret Wilson took issue with Miss Clark interjecting while National MP Nick Smith was quizzing one of her ministers over the costs of complying with the Kyoto protocols.
Dr Smith started to ask a question: "Noting that emissions over the last five years have gone up two-and-a-half times the rate they were during the 1990s..."
Miss Clark interjected: "No growth."
Outraged National MPs said they had been booted out of the House for breaking Parliament's rules - known as Standing Orders - and Miss Clark had done the same by not remaining silent while a question was being asked.
Ms Wilson has been asked by MPs to more strictly enforce Standing Orders than some of her predecessors and she complied.
"Those rules I am afraid do apply to everyone. So I am sorry I will have to ask the prime minister to leave," Ms Wilson said.
A less then contrite looking Miss Clark then left the House chatting to a few of her colleagues as she left.
A spokesman confirmed later it was the first time that Miss Clark had been ejected and she would "abide by the referee's ruling".
It brought back memories of another Labour prime minister David Lange and Oppostion leader Jim Bolger both being removed in 1987, the pair leaving the House arm-in-arm.
National leader Don Brash was also dismissed from the House yesterday for the first time in his three year political career.
He interjected during a point of order and when Labour MPs pointed out that this was also a breach of Standing Orders, Ms Wilson duly gave him his marching orders.