There were farcical scenes in NSW Parliament this afternoon, when the entire Labor Opposition walked out behind Leader Jodi McKay.
The mass exodus came while Health Minister Brad Hazzard was answering a question about Mt Druitt Hospital around 3:00pm.
When Ms McKay continued to interrupt him, she was subsequently warned by NSW Speaker of the House Jonathan O'Dea.
"The Leader of the Opposition is on three calls and that is her final warning for today," Mr O'Dea said.
Ms McKay replied: "You throw me out and we all walk."
That enraged Mr O'Dea, who banned her from the chamber for an hour and shouted: "You don't threaten me, and if you walk out it is an indictment on your side."
She got up and walked out, and her entire party followed.
"I will not take that type of disrespect from anyone in this chamber," Mr O'Dea said.
Several crossbenchers then moved to the Opposition benches.
ABC chief elections analyst Antony Green said mass walkouts were unusual.
"Oppositions tend to reserve walkouts for the most serious of circumstances," he said.
"The Opposition has clearly viewed the suspension of its Leader as falling in this category."
In a hastily convened media conference outside Macquarie Street, Ms McKay said she was pushing for a clear response from the Government.
"We asked a question, a legitimate question today, on health services," she said.
"I will be thrown out of Parliament every single day if it means that we stand up for people in western Sydney."
Earlier in question time, Minister Hazzard goaded Ms McKay, who was interrupting him.
"You know, if you could say something of substance you would probably have a go at being Premier," he said.
"But the way you're going right now, it shows you won't even last the distance.
"You won't be there at the next election."
Sophie Cotsis, the Labor Member for Canterbury, was also ejected from the chamber earlier in the afternoon.
