The public gallery has received a tongue lashing from Speaker Trevor Mallard after they gave a rowdy response to Chloe Swarbrick's speech introducing the Green Party's medicinal cannabis Bill for its first reading in Parliament today.
The Speaker was less than impressed with the cheering coming from the gallery after the speech, yelling "Order! Order!" before issuing a stern warning.
"I want to warn persons in the gallery, that I have some personal experience with being removed from the gallery for interfering in a debate.
"I know what the rules are and I know what the court says," he said forcefully, glaring up at the gallery.
The reception came after Ms Swarbrick had given an impassioned speech in support of her Bill, referencing personal stories of those suffering from illnesses that find relief from medicinal cannabis and also calling for cross party support.
She says the government has a "moral obligation" to New Zealanders to pass the Bill and help end people's suffering.
National MP and former Health Minister Jonathan Coleman spoke directly after Ms Swarbrick and is strongly opposed to the Bill, calling it "decriminalisation by stealth".
Mr Coleman believes the Bill is loosely regulated and would allow people to grow as much cannabis as they wanted without repercussions.
He also called it a "doctor's nightmare" stating they would be inundated by people seeking medicinal cannabis and may at times put them in a tricky situation.
For instance, he outlined if someone visited a doctor claiming they needed medicinal cannabis for chronic back pain it would be hard to prove otherwise if they weren't actually in need.
Yesterday Labour introduced their medicinal cannabis Bill to Parliament which is expected to pass but doesn't go as far as the Green Party's Bill, which looks to give access to medicinal cannabis to those suffering from chronic illnesses, not just those diagnosed with terminal illnesses in the last year of their lives.
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