The performance of the Speaker Trevor Mallard on Thursday was beyond the pale. The man was never suited to the job from the time he punched another MP in the House some years ago. He got the job as a sop, not on suitability, and he has demonstrated this on many occasions. He simply lacks the temperament required of a person who holds that office. It is one of the highest offices in the land and the man continually abuses it.
Mr Mallard, if you care so much about the office at least treat it with some dignity. A good place to start would be to make sure you act in a manner that befits the office, in other words like an adult. The people in front of you are adults, not a bunch of school children. The type of petulant behaviour that is on show does nothing more than demean the office and yourself.
To ask Gerry Brownlee if he was intending to leave for the same amount of time as Nick Smith, then when he asked how long that would be, to reply you hadn’t made up your mind accompanied with a childish smirk is particularly infantile.
One of the biggest challenges in the job is ensuring bias is not shown. You have failed this test time and time again. You may as well sit in your chair sporting a red rosette with the words vote Labour on it. I invite you to look at Thursday’s Question Time and if you think your performance was acceptable then I further invite you to resign your position. In my view your performance was of such a poor quality that next Tuesday when the House meets the first thing you should do is stand, withdraw and apologise.
As for National, the most effective means you have of showing your displeasure is to leave the chamber en masse. I realise you are there to hold the Government to account, but, as Gerry Brownlee said on his way out, there is little point in being there. To sit there and be subject to bias and bullying is not an option.
Next time, most likely next week, for God’s sake – WALK.
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