Opinion: Sever the ties that bind men to Parliament's dress standard

Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi, who described his tie as a noose during his maiden speech in Parliament. Photo / NZME

OPINION:
It was a tough day back in the parliamentary office in the sheepskin lined Speaker's chair for Trevor Mallard.

Having admitted last year, that in 2019 he wrongly accused a parliamentary staffer of rape, in late 2020 National loudly stated they had no confidence in Mallard.

Yesterday, the Nats had signalled they were going to attempt a motion of no confidence in Mallard, whose false claim had cost taxpayers $330,000.

The Labour Party, with its majority, has the ability to easily kick the motion for touch, which didn't make it onto the parliamentary agenda yesterday but is being revisited today.

National are grandstanding, but still, the party's intent again shone an unwelcome spotlight on Mallard. Indirectly, it also calls into question why Mallard wasn't sacked for his indiscretion.

Particularly given Labour ministers lost their portfolios in 2020 for admitting acts that caused the public to lose confidence in their ability.

What then, is the argument that says the public have not lost faith in Parliament's Speaker - the keeper of order, the arbitrator of all that is fair - after he defamed someone by accusing them of rape?

The Speaker of the House is a political eunuch, who should hold the respect of all parties. Mallard no longer has that respect.

Yesterday, Mallard not only endured National's grandstanding, he found himself the centre of attention after enforcing what many consider to be pointless minutiae of parliamentary rules.

Mallard threw Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi out of the house, for not wearing a tie.

Taxpayers may lament that on its first day of Parliament, our duly elected politicians were occasionally engaged in matters that were hardly taxing, but Waititi had a point.

Wearing a large taonga around his neck, Waititi argued he was wearing cultural attire.

Mallard wasn't having any of it. The rules state that the standard of dress for males is a jacket and tie.

Mallard has earlier invited submissions from politicians on the subject, and has stated he received nothing to persuade him to endorse a change.

Mallard's challenge is that he has also reiterated that a 2017 review of standing orders supported MPs dressing in formal wear of the cultures they addressed with.

Which tends to contradict why Waititi was thrown out.

Day one, and amongst other things, it's clear that National views Mallard as a sitting duck and will continue to target him.

And that it's time that the ties that bind our male politicians to Parliament's dress standard should be severed.

Ties are so 2000s. It's 2021.