M.P. Suspended For Conduct (Press, 6 March 1986)

On 5 March 1986, John Banks, the Opposition MP for Whangarei, was suspended from Parliament for 24 hours due to his "grossly disorderly conduct" during the debate on the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. This suspension prevented him from participating in most of the day's parliamentary session and a select committee meeting. The incident occurred amidst a heated discussion of the bill, which was under consideration in the committal stages. During the debate, Banks' National Party colleagues, Sir Robert Muldoon and Mr Merv Wellington, had already been ordered to leave the Chamber for their disruptive behaviour.

The Chairman of Committees, John Terris, had a challenging evening as he recently faced embarrassment from a drink-driving conviction. Muldoon and Banks both made derogatory remarks about Terris being intoxicated. While Banks’ inflammatory comments went largely unacknowledged in the chaotic atmosphere, he later received an order to leave the Chamber for his behaviour. In response, he repeatedly criticised Terris' chairmanship, stating it had been "shocking." This conduct prompted Terris to officially name Banks, requesting the House to censure him. The Speaker, Dr Wall, was then called in to oversee a vote on Banks' suspension, which resulted in a majority decision of 44 votes for the suspension and 31 against.

After securing his suspension, Banks remarked that the actions taken by the Labour Party were "absolutely shameful," reiterating his criticism of Terris. Despite the disruption caused by the fracas, the bill progressed, and the short title was passed with a vote of 47 in favour and 27 against. This key piece of legislation will take effect 28 days after receiving the Governor-General's assent. Although the vote was based on personal conscience, government members predominantly supported the bill while opposition members largely voted against it.

An amendment proposed by Geoffrey Braybrooke, an opponent of the bill, was rejected, which sought to mandate a Royal Commission to investigate homosexuality in New Zealand, followed by a referendum before the legislation could be assented. Supporters of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill expressed encouragement from the vote counts, interpreting the outcomes as parliamentary approval for legalisation in principle. Several significant issues remain unresolved, including the proposed age of consent and the potential for outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation. The debate continues to unfold with various implications for New Zealand’s legislative landscape concerning homosexual rights.

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