Florista says Julie Anne Genter trade was a ‘massive power imbalance’

A Wellington florist who claims she was bullied by Green MP Julie Anne Genter says she felt degraded and humiliated by the confrontation.

The Greens have initiated disciplinary action against Genter, following an outburst against National’s Matt Doocey in the House on Wednesday night.

Multiple parties have complained to the Speaker, who has given Genter until Monday to respond. The Green Party has also started a disciplinary process.

Following Genter’s confrontation in Parliament, Newtown florist Laura Newcombe alleged on Newshub on Thursday that the Rongotai MP confronted her in her shop last week.

Newcombe has openly opposed at public meetings and through the media the removal of the car parks in front of his shop on Riddiford Street, which have been replaced by a cycle lane.

He said his clients usually call ahead, but Genter, who is a prominent cyclist, showed up to “poke the bear” without warning.

“I felt like she was here just to vent a little bit of anger or frustration that she had,” Newcombe told RNZ.

Newcombe said it was the first time the two had spoken face to face, but acknowledged they were prominent voices on opposite sides.

“We’re obviously two passionate people with two different points of view. And I just pointed it out to her and said, ‘oh look, there’s no one on the bike lane, there are ghost cyclists,’ and that made her angry.

“And then he started getting really angry. He just said, ‘Oh, that must be a lot, having so much hate inside you,’ and all that kind of stuff.”

Newcombe said Genter pulled out his phone and started filming.

“She would say things like ‘You hate my kids riding bikes,’ and I was like ‘I don’t even know your kids, I don’t know anything about you.’

“And then she took out the camera, she had it in my face, it was in my face, she was screaming, and I told her ‘Look, you’re going to have to go’ but she didn’t like that. She stayed. She stuck her heels in and it took a long time to go out”.

Newcombe acknowledged that she had given her all to her critics, but denied that she herself was a bully.

“Well, yeah, we had an exchange, but of course we didn’t say bad words or anything, because I’m still going to respect the woman.”

But she said being filmed felt degrading and humiliating.

“It was a huge power imbalance.”

Newcombe acknowledged there was public parking at the nearby Woolworths supermarket, but after two knee replacements he wanted a loading dock outside his store.

He said he had no problem with there being a bike lane during rush hour, but not 24/7.

Greens confirm phone footage

A Green Party spokesperson said co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick had “no prior knowledge” of Newcombe’s allegations, but confirmed that Genter took out his phone and filmed the florist during the exchange.

They argued that Genter’s actions in the House were unacceptable and did not meet the high standards the party expects of its MPs.

“The co-leaders took immediate action to initiate a disciplinary process and will work with Julie Anne to ensure this behavior is not repeated,” the spokesperson said.

Davidson apologized to Newcombe through an interview with Newshub, but Newcombe said he had not received a personal apology.

RNZ has contacted Genter for comment.

In 2022, Newcombe told RNZ Midday report removing the car parks would “end” their business, which is situated opposite Wellington Hospital.

“I would just like the city council to come and buy this property, it’s not fair that I bear the entire financial burden of this. I have invested everything in this building where I live upstairs and where I work,” he said at the time. .

In September 2022, he told Wellington City Council’s Planning and Environment Committee that the cycle path was a “new experiment” and had “destroyed” the business.

“The process was flawed from the beginning and unfolded at breakneck speed,” he told the council.

It acknowledged the challenges of Covid-19 and high inflation, but was unable to collect government subsidies because it had not recorded a 40 per cent loss of income.

“Staying open and spending all my savings is no longer an option,” and he told the city council he would close the business the following Friday.

He then put signs in the window, one of which read “you destroyed this business district by eliminating all parking. Unfair, unjust and undemocratic!” and another claimed that he had lost $45,000.

In December 2022 it had reopened.