The NSW government should sack its whip for forcing the ejection of an MP from the Upper House for wearing an Aboriginal flag pin, a Greens MP says.
Jeremy Buckingham was on Tuesday ordered from the Upper House after Government Whip Peter Phelps took exception to the width of a pin he was wearing on his lapel.
But Mr Buckingham said Mr Phelps' objections had nothing to do with the pin's dimensions, saying MPs often wore badges that exceeded the 20mm limit.
'This was always about this being an Aboriginal flag pin ... he picked on this pin because he didn't like it,' Mr Buckingham told reporters in Sydney.
'It's time for Barry O'Farrell to remove Peter Phelps from the role of whip ... it's completely inappropriate for him to continue in this role.'
Despite standing orders preventing Mr Buckingham from wearing his pin into the Upper House, he entered a session on Wednesday morning proudly sporting it, strolling past government benches tempting them to eject him again.
But the government did not pursue action against Mr Buckingham, who said he will continue to wear the pin.
'It's clear that Barry O'Farrell has told him (Mr Phelps) to pull his head in,' he said.
'It's now clear that Barry O'Farrell should sack him in his role as whip.'
