Editorial: Trevor Mallard's egregious trespass order

The Speaker, Trevor Mallard, on his feet during Question Time in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell, File

EDITORIAL

Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard's actions over recent months bear the hallmarks of a curmudgeon who has lost all sense of proportion.

In allowing parliamentary security to issue a trespass notice against a political party leader for visiting a protest on the front lawn of the Beehive, he has descended beyond farce to witless asininity.

Mallard and the protesters faced off during the mid–February encampment in what appeared to be a contest to be crowned the dumbest.

One protester stripped naked and danced in front of police officers, another painted a swastika on a statue, others planted cannabis seeds in the gardens and relieved themselves against a war memorial. Mallard ordered the lawn sprinklers be turned on in the night and played schmaltzy pop songs at high volume.

Given his job description, it was Mallard who stooped the most in the churlish tit-for-tat.

By allowing a prohibition order to be issued against NZ First leader Winston Peters, Mallard has carried on where he should have long since stopped digging himself and the Speaker's designation, into ignobility.

It has also handed Peters the opportunity to play the card of righteous outrage. If he stands in the Tauranga byelection and returns to office, Mallard will have contributed in no small amount to that. Talk of a judicial review may be just that but Peters knows how to capitalise on a moment's attention.

Mallard is the custodian of a position that should command respect. Yet again, he has let the station down in deplorable fashion.