Media Statement
Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu
Leader of UnitedFuture

No Worst Behaved MPs List in 2009 – All Mr Speaker’s Fault

Mallard gets ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’

For the first time in over a decade UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne will not produce his annual list of Parliament’s worst behaved MPs, and he says it is all because of Parliament’s Speaker Lockwood Smith.

“Dr Smith’s control of the House this year has been of such a high standard that bad behaviour in the debating Chamber (MPs being asked to withdraw and apologise for inappropriate comments, or being expelled from the Chamber) has virtually dried up,” Mr Dunne said.

“Well, virtually. There is one exception – Labour MP Trevor Mallard,” he said.

“Such is his regularly poor behaviour that its time to confer a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ on him for services to melodrama, fisticuffs and generally aberrant behaviour, but one could not say for services to Parliament and parliamentary behaviour.

“He has been expelled from the House at least twice this year, and has been required to withdraw and apologise on a number of occasions, but even his outbursts are well down on previous years, which is another tribute to the control of Mr Speaker.”

Mr Dunne said, other than Mr Mallard, it would be unfair to put together a list this year.

ENDS

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