Sutton recalls his years in Parliament

Long-serving Labour MP and Cabinet minister Jim Sutton bowed out of Parliament yesterday after a valedictory speech which criticised no one and praised many.

Mr Sutton came to Parliament in 1984, lost his seat in 1990 and returned in 1993. He lost his Aoraki seat in last year's election and was returned as a list MP.

Mr Sutton told a well attended and quiet debating chamber he had never expected to be Minister of Trade Negotiations, a portfolio he held until last year's election, and it had grown to take up nearly all his time.

His speech ranged over his years in Parliament and his memories of David Lange, Geoffrey Palmer, Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble, Mike Moore and Sir Robert Muldoon.

He included Annette King "who is a sister to me", Sonja Davies "who shamed me into ironing my own shirts", and Bill Dillon "who helped organise a still-notorious party which started in the Doidge Room [press gallery's lounge] and ended up at 6am in the Beehive swimming pool".

Mr Sutton, 64, goes straight into a new job as roving trade ambassador with the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

- NZPA