Ruth Berry: Cullen bites back as Tamihere-inspired torture wears on

As Labour MPs headed dutifully into the House for a third bout of John Tamihere-inflicted flagellation and humiliation yesterday, it was not hard to imagine the reception they'll give him next week.

His perceived failure to be fully penitent caused further offence yesterday and handed the Opposition more instruments with which to torture his colleagues. As if he hadn't given them enough.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen, speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, did his best to quip his way through.

Did the Prime Minister note, National deputy Gerry Brownlee asked, that in Mr Tamihere's apology on TV One's Close Up "he did not resile from the comments that he made about her Cabinet colleagues, herself - except from Dr Cullen who he wanted to share a toothbrush with - and her caucus?"

Helen Clark did note it, Dr Cullen said, adding that he had enough toothbrushes of his own.

"Can I ask the PM," Winston Peters asked "as to whether she contemplates a mechanism such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from South Africa - and in the absence of Desmond Tutu I'd be very happy to serve myself on it - but what am I to make of a Christchurch Press article today where Mr Tamihere says this: 'You can still have a professional relationship with a bloke but still think he's a tugger', and who in the Labour Party was he talking about when he used that phrase?"

Dr Cullen had no advice on the matter of the tugger, but "perhaps I'd rather see Mr Peters in a tutu rather than as a Tutu".

Mr Brownlee was up next, although first admitting to being momentarily gobsmacked by the thought of a tutu-wearing Mr Peters.

Why, he said, did the Prime Minister keep saying Mr Tamihere was stressed when he told Close Up he'd been down a bumpy road, but "I've checked my suspension and my suspension is riding okay?"

"The member's suspension was not under threat from the Prime Minister at any point," replied Dr Cullen, "but I'm advised that ... anybody who has lunch with [Investigate journalist] Ian Wishart has probably shown signs of stress already."

By this time Mr Peters wanted to dispel any suggestion he would ever be seen in a tutu "when it obviously is the kind of garb ... some members of his caucus commonly wear?"

Dr Cullen was not sure what Mr Peters was getting at but noted "some of my colleagues are very open about their sexual orientation", sparking an uproar in the House as everybody wondered which colleagues weren't being very open.

It was then Housing Minister Steve Maharey's turn. He was one of five MPs ejected from the increasingly testy debating chamber yesterday as Speaker Margaret Wilson tried to restore discipline - but was called back to answer questions about state housing allegations made by his colleague.

"How can New Zealanders take him seriously as a minister when his colleague John Tamihere says he 'very smarmy, very clever but no substance'?", Act leader Rodney Hide wondered.

"I'll leave it up to people to make up their own mind," Mr Maharey replied, avoiding attempts at wit just in case it made him look smarmy.