Sir David Carter: former House Speaker on Chlöe Swarbrick getting asked to leave the House over controversial comments

There was drama and controversy in the House today, after Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick doubled down and refused to apologise for saying MPs with spines would act on Gaza.

Swarbrick has since been booted from Parliament for not apologising.

Former Speaker Sir David Carter says he should have asked Prime Minister John Key to withdraw - when he told the Opposition to 'get some guts' in 2015.

"In hindsight, when you get a chance to review the tape and hear it again - yes, I would have asked him to withdraw and apologise. I would have settled the House down if I'd done that."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So, as you know, Chloe Swarbrick was kicked out of
the House again today after refusing to apologize for calling
opposition members spineless yesterday. I invite Chloe Swawbrick to withdraw
and apologize for an offensive comment made in the House yesterday.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
I won't be doing that. Missus.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Speaker David Carter is the former Speaker of the House
and with us, Hey, David Hi Heaver. She did break
the rules, so didn't she?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yes, she did. Her comment was unparliamentary. The important thing
is it's the Speaker's job to determine whether he thinks
it's unparliamentary or not, and then he gives an instruction
to her to leave abide by that. You've got no choice.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
It is getting silly, though, isn't it, David? When she's
getting punished for basically calling opposition members spineless, and then
another old mate jumps up, Debbie jumps up, drops the
sea bomb, and there's no punishment for that. That's silly,
isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah, Well, absolutely it is. There's no doubt in my
mind that the standards are declining. It's a tough environment
in there. You've got to sympathize with the speaker's position.
Though he's sitting at he doesn't always hear everything clearly
because of the noise in the din and the interjections.
He's got to make an instant decision as to how

(01:08):
he reacts to any comment that's been made by any
of the one hundred and twenty Ove members of Parliament. He
doesn't have the chance to get an action replay like
a test rugby. He's got to make a decision. He's
got to back himself.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Do you agree with Winston Peters that being kicked out
for a whole week is about ott?

Speaker 2 (01:25):
I think in my if I had been there doing
it and I decided that that remark was offensive, and
I had asked her to a draw and she'd refused,
I would have kicked her out for that day. I
would then have dealt with it as Jerry has today
by then asking her to at the start of question
time today to withdraw and apologize. If she had then refused,
I would probably have done the same as Jerry and

(01:46):
asked her to leave again.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
Were you the speaker when John Keyes had get some guts?

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yes, it was sid You have time, That's exactly if
I If I had my time again, I should have
asked him to withdraw and apologize. And that's exactly the
point I'm making. I didn't hear it clearly at the time.
I let it ride. In hindsight, when you get a
chance to review the tape and hear it again, yes,
I would have asked him to withdraw and apologize. That
would have settled the house down if I've done that.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Interesting, David, thank you. I really appreciate your time, as
I always do. That's David Carter, former Speaker of the House.
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