Cullen walkout means dinner wins the day

Parliament's session ended in dramatic fashion last night when Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen walked out over a stoush with Act.

Dr Cullen's walkout was prompted by the refusal of Act MP Richard Prebble to agree to Dr Cullen putting forward a motion for Parliament to rise early so members could attend a state dinner for visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Act had earlier refused to allow a motion to be put forward suggesting Parliament rise for the night before the dinner break.

When it scuttled a second motion after the break, Dr Cullen - the lone minister present - walked out of Parliament.

Because no minister was then present, Speaker Margaret Wilson was forced under Parliament's rules to adjourn Parliament until today.

Dr Cullen later said his move was forced by Act's refusal to accommodate the clash between Parliament sitting and the state dinner.

"There was a very limited amount of private members' business on the order paper ... and it was sensible that, when it was completed, the House should lift to avoid the distraction of sitting next door to the state dinner," he said in a statement.

"The Government therefore took the unusual step of deliberately ensuring that there were no ministers present in the House."

Government junior whip Darren Hughes said that if Parliament was sitting music would not have been allowed at the state dinner.

However Dr Cullen's move prompted claims of the Government creating a precedent to flout democracy to suit its own political purposes.

Act leader Rodney Hide said Dr Cullen had acted in a fit of anger.

He said there was no reason why MPs could not attend a state dinner while Parliament sat.

"We think it's important that Parliament sits. If they can shut it down for a president, they can shut it down for their own political embarrassment."

Mr Hide said Act had told Dr Cullen on Tuesday that it would not agree to Parliament being adjourned on a Members' Day for the hosting of a state dinner.