United Future

I am sure there are one thousand excuses for Mr. Mallard to lose his cool with Mr. Henare (I could think up a few myself). However, if you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Parliament is the one place you should expect a little self-controlled conduct. Perhaps Mr Mallard is about to be evicted out of the cabinet kitchen next week?

A quote from Peter Dunne in a recent column (written in August):

"When the MMP parties all signed up to a voluntary code of conduct a few weeks ago, there were the predictable sneers and guffaws from the two old parties that they did not need such a code to tell them how to behave in public."

It seems that their sneers and guffaws have turned really nasty now!!!!

Personal and physical attacks have no place in parliament - what sort of example are these people setting for our children?

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving MP.

Mallard has consistently rated as the worst behaved MP in parliament in Peter Dunne's annual tally but gets away with it.

He regularly baits other MPs by making nasty, snide comments and they have to take it on the chin.

Now, when he gets provoked he retaliates physically.

Well I say - if you live by the sword you die by the sword.

One's personal behaviour is primarily driven by the value system of one's family and one's workplace. In Mr Mallard's case he has obviously been too long in one place (Parliament) without being conditioned by the values that most of us expect- it is therefore time for him to get a job in the real world- how about he retrains as a primary school teacher, after all he should reap the spoils of the terrible education policies he has inflicted upon NZ.

Here's a progress score of the worst behaved MPs in Parliament over the last two Parliaments, according to my annual survey. For the 2002-2005 Parliament the MP at the top of the list was Mr Peters, followed by Dr Nick Smith and Mr Mallard. In the current Parliament, the overall leader to date is Mr Henare (who was not in the previous Parliament) followed by Dr Nick Smith, and Mr Brownlee. I will be publishing my annual list for 2007 as usual after Parliament rises in December. My survey is drawn entirely from Hansard, the official Parliamentary record.

Trevor, Trevor! Oh wher for art thou's sanity in the House of Madness. thee has slumped into its clutches, hav ye not?

I mourn for you. Tis a hard place to contribute when your sanity is plastered with blood from personal stress,separation from your spouse,heavy expectations to play rugby in this neverending House of Madness.

Think not demotion as a judgement but relief. so thee can unwind thy soul- just a breather for your tormented heart.

In retrospect bullyboy behaviour of this nature is refreshing by comparison with the regular character assassination process undertaken on defenseless people in parliament. The latest saga in Environment suggests that the culture of blame and disdain for people who approach their work with care and integrity is a far more significantly insidious behavioural trait that politicians are all too ready to participate in. Dignity seems to be on very very few people's minds. Used to be that we were once thought of as a fair-minded people and a great place to bring up one's kids.
Whilst I am ever thankful for the wonderful nature of people one does meet, there is little in the behaviours of parliament to demonstrate to our children what is and what is not,fair.