Speaker cracks down on insults

WELLINGTON: The Speaker of the House is clamping down on people teasing Gerry Brownlee about his weight.

Trevor Mallard ended question time early yesterday after an exchange between Mr Brownlee and NZ First MP Shane Jones, following yet another personal insult being levelled at the National MP.

Mr Brownlee interjected in a question to Mr Jones about his recent trip to China and Japan, heckling ‘‘table the snaps’’.

Mr Jones misheard this as ‘‘table the snacks’’, to which he replied ‘‘don’t worry, pork belly was there, Gerry’’.

Mr Mallard was not impressed.

‘‘I’m frankly at a loss at how to otherwise improve the behaviour,’’ he said after ending question time at the beginning of the 12th and final question yesterday.

‘‘I am now ruling that question time is concluded because I cannot think of a better way of indicating my concern to Mr Jones and other members of the Government about their inappropriate personal comments,’’ he said.

It was the second time in two days the Speaker had disciplined the Government for offensive comments made to Mr Brownlee.

On Wednesday, after an interruption from Mr Brownlee, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said: ‘‘Ho, ho Billy Bunter’’ — a reference to the fictional overweight schoolboy William George ‘‘Billy’’ Bunter.

After ordering Mr Peters to withdraw and apologise, Mr Mallard deducted six supplementary questions from the Government.

Mr Peters has insulted Mr Brownlee over his size before. Last month, Mr Peters yelled ‘‘throw fatty out’’ at Mr Brownlee, after he interjected during an answer.

During the third reading of the Waka Jumping Bill yesterday, Mr Peters referred to National MP Maggie Barry as ‘‘Myrtle Rust.’’

Mr Brownlee did not wish to comment on the matter. — NZME