David Seymour: ACT Party Leader on the stoush with Speaker Gerry Brownlee over racial harassment

A bitter stand off has erupted between the ACT Party and the Speaker of the House. 

The party is slamming Gerry Brownlee for allowing opposition MPs to propose removing ACT MP Laura Trask as Chair during select committee hearings on changes to Oranga Tamariki. 

MPs reportedly suggested the more experienced Carmel Sepuloni should step in as chair, saying that a Māori or Pasifika chair would be better due to the number of Māori and Pasifika submitters. 

ACT MP Karen Chhour broke down in front of cameras yesterday, saying that she’s been the target of personal attacks relating to her race.  

Seymour told Mike Hosking ACT is becoming increasingly frustrated. 

He said that if people want to argue the policy, he’s and Chhour are all for it, but the personalised attacks about her race, background, and upbringing are just unacceptable. 

Seymour said that they rely on the Speaker to uphold the rules and uphold the standards, and they just don’t feel they’re getting a response when they raise issues. 

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