Speaker Trevor Mallard has acted as the PM’s bodyguard in parliament and now she is returning the favour despite evidence of bullying that would force the resignation of a National Party politician in an identical situation.
“Jacinda Ardern may like to preach kindness from the pulpit of truth, she does this all the time.
But she is selectively kind. That has been shown with Trevor Mallard, and the little regard shown to the man falsely accused of rape by him.”
Newstalk ZB Political editor Barry Soper
“He’s unfit to be Speaker […] – within 24 hours of calling someone a rapist, he knew that that was a lie. Yet he continued for 18 months through court to take this man through the wringer.”
National MP Simon Bridges
National Party leader Judith Collins has again called for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to sack Speaker Trevor Mallard.
[…] Collins’ renewed claim is based on the legal documents that preceded that settlement, in particular, a statement of claim from the former staffer where it is made clear that lawyers acting for Mallard had threatened to fight the case out in court.
She contrasts this with a statement made by Mallard in select committee in late 2020 that he almost immediately knew he had made a mistake by describing the conduct as rape. He said he had not immediately apologised as he thought the payment asked for was too high.
“I call on you, as both Prime Minister, and as Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, to support a vote of No Confidence in Mr Mallard as Speaker,” Collins said.
Ardern said she considered the matter closed, when asked on her way into the House, saying what the Speaker had done was wrong but he had apologised.
Stuff
Already the MSM have stopped writing about Mallard’s threats and bullying behaviour. It looks as though his disgraceful conduct will be added to the lumpy rug that the PM has already swept so many Labour scandals underneath.
