National’s Tim van de Molen accused of ‘threatening or intimidating’ Labour MP

National MP Tim van de Molen​ is accused of “threatening or intimidating” a Labour MP, and has been referred to Parliament’s privileges committee.

The privileges committee is made up of senior parliamentarians and acts like a tribunal, where it judges the conduct of others in Parliament to decide if they have broken the rules.

Speaker Adrian Rurawhe​ announced to the House he had received a complaint from Labour’s Rachel Boyack, on Tuesday afternoon.

Boyack alleged van de Molen acted in a “threatening or intimidating” manner towards the chairperson of the transport and industrial relations committee, Labour MP Shanan Halbert​.

READ MORE:
* ACT MP Simon Court referred to Privileges Committee
* Want to know who is going to win the election? Watch these seats
* ‘An emphatic, no’: Education Minister faces tense questioning by Privileges Committee

“There are differing accounts of what occurred at the conclusion of the committee’s meeting. If the allegations are accurate, the conduct complained of could amount to threatening or intimidating a member,” Rurawhe said.

He said his decision to refer the matter to the privileges committee did not imply guilt.

Van de Molen said he could not comment as the matter was before the committee.

“The only comment I can make is that the facts are contested,” he said.

National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis declined to comment on the allegations, saying Parliament’s rules precluded her from talking about a matter in front of the privileges committee.

Stuff has also approached Boyack and Halbert​ for comment. Like Willis, Boyack said she was unable to comment.

The strict rules of Parliament have effectively suppressed details of the incident as members caught commenting on it could themselves be hauled in front of the privileges committee.

Transport committee deputy chairperson Julie Anne Genter said she was not there when the incident took place, which Rurawhe said was on June 29.

That day, the committee held an open meeting to discuss funding of transport where Transport Minister David Parker and ministry officials were questioned by MP.

The session ended with an MP, off-screen, taking issue with Halbert over wanting to ask more supplementary questions of the minister.

“Our time is up, I think you’ve had very sufficient amount of questions,” Halbert said in response. “I can give you a count like I said to you last week.”

“I appreciate that,” was the response.

Halbert then closed the public session of the meeting, ending the recording.