Debbie Ngarewa-Packer booted from House after using c-word during debate

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was booted from the House this afternoon for using the c-word.

She was accused of calling Assistant Speaker Maureen Pugh a “c***”, but outside the House claimed the word had not been directed at Pugh.

The House was debating move-on orders. Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara spoke passionately on the issue and used the term “bull crap”.

After Kaipara’s speech, Pugh reminded the House to keep the language “Parliamentary”.

In Ngarewa-Packer’s telling, she used the c-word to illustrate that Kaipara saying “bull crap” was hardly worse than when Act’s Brooke van Velden said the c-word in the House.

Van Velden used the word last year while quoting a newspaper column that printed the slur to denigrate her.

However, New Zealand First MP Casey Costello claimed the slur was directed at Pugh.