November 12, 2015
Women MPs refuse to be silenced
Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta says women MPs will continue to demand an apology from the Prime Minister for his claim that Labour supported rapists and sex offenders.
Mr Key made his comment on Tuesday when challenged about his alleged failure to stand up for the human rights of New Zealanders in Australia’s Christmas Island detention centre.
The Speaker David Carter refused to make him withdraw the remark even after finding it unparliamentary, and yesterday threw out several women MPs who said they were victims of sexual assault and took personal offence.
Ms Mahuta says the Prime Minister had stooped to a new low, and the Speaker handled the matter extremely badly.
"The fact that female MPs stood up and made very public declarations was courageous and it was a statement to the Prime Minister no one wants to be charged with supporting rapists because we know that is absolute violence towards women but two, that women’s voices matter and we as women will take leadership on those types of issues," she says.
A official list provided to Justice Minister Amy Adams by Australian officials shows none of the New Zealanders at Christmas Island had committed murder or rape offences.
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