Perhaps the biggest surprise in this week’s rearranging of the deck chairs was the demise of Trevor Mallard. Who would have thought Ardern had her political gun aimed at her Lord Protector, the Speaker of the House? As someone not known as a straight shooter, Ardern had no option but to discharge Mallard in the hope the Government would itself dodge a bullet. A recent One News – Kantar poll had those who thought Mallard was doing a good job at just 17 per cent.
For those of us political tragics who bother to watch Question Time in the House it is Mallard who is the tragic. The only honour this man deserves is the award for ‘Worst Speaker of the House EVER’. Observe Mallard operating; he is a man totally unsuited to the job. For starters, the Speaker’s role is supposed to be apolitical. Mallard perches in his chair every day with what might as well be Labour Party insignia hanging around his neck. I’m surprised he hasn’t replaced the prayer with a requirement for MPs to sing The Red Flag.
Mallard appears to revel in making himself the most hated man in New Zealand politics. He makes his feelings towards MPs he doesn’t like very obvious. David Seymour is a good example as he frequently gets one over Mallard, being intellectually far superior to the Speaker. An astute analogy would be comparing a Formula One racing car to a jalopy. Mallard’s treatment of Opposition parties is nothing short of disgraceful. He is a bully boy whose personality is unsuited to upholding the tenets of his office.
Mallard runs Question Time in a very antagonistic manner. His dislike of the Opposition is highlighted by many of his rulings concerning their questions or their points of order. He treats the Government very differently. He allows them, on a daily basis to give lengthy rambling answers that, on many occasions, aren’t even answering the question. It has become pointless for the Opposition to raise points of order because it appears that ministers don’t have to actually answer the question but just have a go at addressing it.
This is part of the ‘protection racket’ Mallard runs in letting ministers, most of whom would be hard-pressed to answer what day of the week it was, off the hook. If these people are the best Ardern has on offer, including herself, then the rearranging of the deck chairs will change nothing. Speaking of Ardern, Mallard is particularly protective of her. Ardern, who has a degree in spouting nonsense and veering from the truth, is allowed to dribble on for excessive amounts of time. Only rarely does Mallard intervene.
There are Mallard’s other documented misdeeds that are well known and I won’t bore readers with them here. Suffice to say the man is a wrongful accuser, a liability to the taxpayer, good at dishing it out but not taking it, has brought Parliament into disrepute when paid to do the opposite, is temperamentally unsuited to his role, and lacks the confidence of the Opposition. In short, a complete disaster. How Ardern thinks that list (not complete by the way), gives him the credentials for a diplomatic posting is beyond me.
If his posting is Ireland, and they are aware of his background in advance, then I’m picking it won’t be a great day for the Irish and not many Irish eyes will be smiling. On the upside, the Irish love their whiskey as I’m told Mallard does, so they will have that in common but probably not much else. Also, the Irish are a friendly hospitable race so they might teach him a thing or two about how to treat other human beings properly.
The fact he’s getting a posting is pure political conniving and is nothing short of outrageous. This is yet more cost to the taxpayer for a man who has already cost them dearly.
God help Ardern if she’s brave or stupid enough to recommend the man for a knighthood. Then the public will have HER very much in their sights. It could well be duck and cover time. Her chances of a win in 2023 will most likely plummet to zero.
