Gender issues emerge during New Zealand parliament session

https://news.vice.com/article/women-protesting-new-zealand-leaders-rapist-comment-kicked-out-of-parliament

The New Zealand legislature recently met to discuss the fate of a group of detainees who are currently being held in the Christmas Island detention center in Australia. The detainees are waiting to be deported back to New Zealand for an array of various crimes they committed in Australia. John Key, New Zealand’s prime minister received heavy criticism, especially from members of opposing political parties, for his failure to abet the prisoners. Key cited a number of reasons, including the accusation that they are rapists and child molesters, as to why these individuals do not deserve protection from their government. In a heated exchange with the opposition party leader, Key stated: “Well you back the rapists and I’ll back New Zealand.” His comments offended many members of the parliament who disagreed with his statement and thought his generalizations were offensive and unfair. When a female parliament member identified as a victim of sexual assault and began to criticize the prime minister, her microphone was cut off. Key asserted, “I now will require any member who takes a point of order along the same lines to immediately leave the chamber,” more than a dozen members of parliament walked out of the session. Key held his position and refused to apologize.