Nelson MP booted from the House

Parliament’s powerful Serjeant-in-Arms ejected MP Nick Smith from the House late on Thursday evening.

The veteran National MP Nick Smith was booted from the House earlier in the afternoon, but as the House passed law under urgency late into the evening, Smith kept returning to his seat despite Speaker Trevor Mallard’s order to stay out of the House.

He again attempted to enter the House not long before midnight, at which point Assistant Speaker Adrian Rurawhe called the mace-wielding Serjeant-at-Arms to remove an argumentative Smith.

‘‘What sort of a Nazi establishment is running the place, seriously?’’ Smith said, as he exited the House.

The Serjeant-at-Arms is empowered to remove MPs and the public from the House if needed, but rarely has to intervene.

Stuff has been told the last time the Serjeant had to remove an MP was during the Muldoon era, in the 1980s, but the long-serving Smith says it has happened for other MPs more recently.

Yesterday, Smith said Mallard was giving licence for Labour to attack National MPs when Smith was first kicked out for interjecting during Question Time.

‘‘I’m calling him out,’’ Smith said. ‘‘Was the interjection I made that I resulted in me getting kicked out a reasonable one?

‘‘I think it was, it was a free hit by the Government on the Opposition allowed against the rules of Parliament by Trevor.’’

Smith said he tried to re-enter the House twice, seeking to know when he could resume sitting in the House as the Speaker’s officer wasn’t responding to his emails.

‘‘I went in and sought clarification . . . I’m making contact with the Speaker’s office, I’m not getting any communication back – I think I’m entitled to know, when am I allowed back in,’’ he said.

He was told after midnight that he was banned from the House for the rest of the week, so headed home to Nelson.

Mallard said his office could not inform Smith of when to return to the House, as he could not be satisfied Smith would behave himself.

‘‘After the fourth incident, which involved the Serjeant-at-Arms being called and offensive remarks being directed at the Assistant Speaker, the National Whip was informed that Dr Smith may not return to the chamber for the remainder of the sitting day,’’ he said.

‘‘What sort of a Nazi establishment is running the place, seriously?’’ Nick Smith

As he was ejected from Parliament