Southwick ejected over apology refusal to Greens MP

Liberal MP David Southwick was removed from the Victorian Parliament for 90 minutes on Thursday after refusing to apologise to Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri over comments relating to her stance on Israel.

The Member for Caulfield was ejected from the chamber following his refusal to withdraw statements made about the Richmond MP in a Notice of Motion.

de Vietri had moved that the House note that the day marked the “ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinians removed from their homes and 15,000 people killed on their land”.

She also said Israel has declared its intention to expel all Palestinians and permanently occupy the Gaza Strip.

Southwick responded by saying, “For the past two years, the Member for Richmond has used Parliament to attack Israel and incite hatred towards the Jewish community.”

Southwick stated following his removal,”I refuse to apologise to an MP who has repeatedly targeted the Jewish community at a time when we are at our most vulnerable.”

The Notice of Motion from Southwick referenced former Greens leader Adam Bandt’s electoral defeat at the Federal election, stating the House “notes media comments on Adam Bandt’s being ousted over his extremist hatful views and cautions the Member for Richmond that hating on Jews may lead to a similar outcome in 2026.”

Southwick condemned what he described as extremism in Victorian politics, claiming it was importing Middle Eastern conflicts into Melbourne.

“Victorians are fed up with extremists fuelling division, and this MP has played a leading role in spreading hatred against the Jewish community,” he said.

The clash between the two MPs comes amid ongoing tensions over parliamentary debates regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with Southwick suggesting the Richmond MP’s position could affect her political future.

“If the Member for Richmond continues on this path, she may face the same fate as Adam Bandt in 2026,” he warned. The Australian Jewish News has contacted de Vietri for comment.