National complains over Government barracking

Gerry Brownlee

National took a delegation to Parliament's Speaker, Margaret Wilson, yesterday to complain about her chairmanship during Don Brash's keynote speech on Tuesday.

It was delivered to a torrent of interjection from the Government MPs.

The National leader's speech followed the statement by Prime Minister Helen Clark, a set piece for the return to Parliament after New Year and which is prescribed in standing orders.

Before the speeches began, the Speaker sought agreement from National and Labour whips that both leaders would be heard in silence. That was agreed.

Helen Clark's speech was heard in relative silence but Dr Brash's was barely audible in the chamber over the din.

National MPs did not raise a point of order to object, believing it would look as though Dr Brash was weak if he needed the protection of the chair to deliver his first speech of the year.

But privately they believe Labour welched on a deal.

Despite the barracking, several commentators rated Dr Brash's speech his best yet.

Shadow leader of the House Gerry Brownlee would not discuss the meeting with Margaret Wilson but said: "My view on it is the Labour whips currently have very little control over their caucus.

"I think this quite honestly is an example of ill-discipline throughout their caucus and probably just the first indication that these guys are going to struggle to hold things together for any long period of time."

Chief Labour whip Tim Barnett said Margaret Wilson had set the rules of the debate - by asking for no barracking - "and clearly as chair it is up to her to enforce it".

He said that while it had been noisy on Tuesday his members yesterday "were a little calmer".

Margaret Wilson said last night that National had abided by her wishes that the speakers be heard, but the Government had not.

She called for order on several occasions but the Government had gone too far in its barracking of Dr Brash and she had conveyed that to the whips.