KEY POINTS:
MPs in the Beehive sandpit have been throwing their toys around over the past couple of years.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen calling National leader John Key and "scumbag" and a "rich prick" is just the latest incident.
Earlier this year the then broadcasting minister Steve Maharey directed the F-word at National's Jonathan Coleman.
After a question from Mr Coleman, Mr Maharey responded: "I think it is entirely reasonable for the Minister of Education to take exception to be being called a racist and I would do again now."
As Mr Maharey took his seat he said "F... you".
In another display of petulance, New Zealand First MP Ron Mark was last year caught on tape by TV3 giving Tau Henare the finger.
In another exchange Mr Henare called Labour's Trevor Mallard a "wanker".
Mr Mallard was naughty last year too when he hit National's Bob Clarkson with a manila folder.
Mr Mallard also made references to an alleged affair between then National Party leader Don Brash and Business Roundtable vice chairwoman Diane Foreman.
He was later told off by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who said she would have liked to "taser" Mr Mallard over the comments.
Dr Cullen has also been on the other end of name calling. In 1985 the then National MP John Banks called Dr Cullen a "poofter".
Dr Cullen got out of his seat and approached Mr Banks, shaking his fist in Mr Banks' face.
Jim Bolger also lost his cool. In 1998 Mr Bolger was leader of the opposition and threw his ballpoint pen across the chamber after Minister of Justice Geoffrey Palmer questioned his intelligence.
In 1992, Mr Banks bailed up an opposition press secretary in the Beehive basement and threatened to destroy him for writing a press statement that "traded barefaced lies".
