National Party candidate storms out of debate, clashes with audience

The National Party’s Wellington Bays candidate Karuna Muthu stormed out of a candidates’ debate after accusing the organisers of “loaded” left-wing questions and clashing with an audience member on his way out. 

Muthu has defended his decision as a matter of principle, claiming the event lacked neutrality required for a democratic debate. 

Video obtained by the Herald shows the fiery incident unfolded last night at the Brooklyn Community Centre, prompted by candidates being asked a series of “yes” or “no” questions. 

Referencing NZ First’s policy of renationalising the BNZ, the moderator asked the candidates about banking sector reform. 

“Would your party support making Kiwibank a full bank and so it can take on government banking so the profits stay in New Zealand?” the moderator asked. 

Muthu, decked out in his blue National Party jacket, appeared to become agitated by that question, getting up from the table, collecting his papers and blue National Party beanie, before walking to the front of the room. 

“I would like to leave with respect,” he announced, before moving across the hall towards the door. 

“You won’t get my vote” one in the audience heckled as Muthu started leaving. 

Before walking out, Muthu turned to address the crowd, “thank you for coming,” he said to boos from some in the room. 

“You can boo me, but so far, all the questions, about 10 of them, all loaded and towards [the] left ... it’s not balanced, and I am not ready to accept this.” 

“If you would like to leave politely,” the moderator said before being cut off by Muthu: “I am polite,” he insisted. 

“I’m expressing my democratic right as a candidate,” he said from the door. 

“Thank you, bye-bye,” a woman near the front of the crowd said to Muthu. 

“That is rude,” Muthu responded to her, pointing at the woman. 

“I know exactly what you’re doing and that is exactly why I’m leaving, thank you, bye-bye, this is undemocratic and I would like to express that,” he said, turning again to the door to walk out. 

Video shows National Party candidate Karuna Muthu calling an audience member "rude" during an exchange which saw him walk out of a public meeting. 

The fellow candidates, remaining seated behind the table, appeared flummoxed as the quarrel played out. 

Muthu then walked out, followed by his campaign team. 

He did not respond to the Herald’s requests for comment on Thursday evening. 

He instead posted to Facebook to explain his side of the story. 

“I attended tonight’s meeting in good faith to engage with the voters of Brooklyn in Wellington Bays on the issues that define their future,” the post reads. 

“The event transitioned into a “True or False” and “Yes/No” segment led by the moderator. I challenged the fairness of the questions. 

“I told the moderator that the questions were “loaded towards one particular side”. 

He said the event “lacked the neutrality essential for a functional democratic debate”. 

“Leadership requires the resolve to identify when a process has lost its provenance. 

“I will not lend legitimacy to a staged event that precludes genuine, multiparty analysis. 

“Integrity is the cornerstone of representation. Hence, I walked out of the meeting respectfully, amid boos and heckles from a handful of people.” 

He said walking out was “a matter of principle”. 

“I will not participate in a forum where the moderation is as imbalanced as the rhetoric,” he said. 

This afternoon, the National Party issued a statement on behalf of Muthu. 

“Last night I attended a public meeting hosted by the Greater Brooklyn Residents Association, as I have done in other areas in the electorate. However, I was disappointed that the questions were not focused on the issues that matter to Wellington Bays voters. 

“I have attended more than 20 community meetings so far this election and those who know me know I do not shy away from hard debates. I am looking forward to attending more debates and community meetings between now and November 7.” 

Green Party incumbent Julie Anne Genter (from left), Labour's Craig Renney and National's Karuna Muthu are campaigning to win the Wellington Bays seat, a new electorate made up of the former Rongotai electorate plus the suburbs of Brooklyn and Mt Cook.

Labour Party opponent Craig Renney said the job of being a local MP is answering tough questions from the electorate. 

“The very minimum that you’ve got to do is turn up and answer those questions, it doesn’t matter how hard they are, it doesn’t matter how difficult they are, that’s your job. 

“The questions that were being asked were clearly questions affecting residents in Brooklyn,” Renney said. 

“They weren’t slanted, they were just problems that a good local MP would face probably every day.” 

Incumbent MP Julie Anne Genter said it was “a shame” Muthu walked out. 

“It was a really good meeting and for the most part the Wellington Bays campaign has actually been really positive and respectful,” she said. 

Wellington's hillside suburb of Brooklyn is historically left-leaning, with high levels of support for the Green Party in previous elections. Photo / 123rf 

The Wellington suburb of Brooklyn is considered to be more left-leaning than the general population. 

Results from the 2023 election show that from party votes cast in the Brooklyn Community Centre, the Green Party received the largest share at 30.3%, closely followed by Labour on 29.5%, while National claimed 24.8%. 

It is not Muthu’s first campaign, he ran for National in the same seat, previously named Rongotai, in 2023, and in 2008 for United Future, as well as a tilt at the Wellington mayoralty in 2013. 

Polling has him in third place, with Genter and Renney tied. 

He is a lawyer and business strategist, placed number 64 on the National Party’s list. 

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.