Race or Gender No Excuse for Poor Behaviour of MPs, Says New Zealand Parliamentarian

An ACT MP who grew up “interacting with the state care system” has criticised those making excuses for the poor behaviour of MPs—particularly women of colour—blaming the “culture of Parliament” for their actions. “Yes, being a member of Parliament can be difficult and stressful. Being in the public eye, the long hours away from family. But other jobs are hard, too. Running a small business can be extremely difficult,” MP Karen Chhour wrote in an opinion piece in The Press newspaper. Her comments come after media outlets devoted substantial coverage to the mental state of Green Party MP Golriz Gharaman after she was charged with shoplifting....