In just a few short words, new Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe has given us all cause for hope.
“I can say to the House that it’s my expectation that the House will hold the Government to account. I say to the Leader of the Opposition and party leaders that I will do everything to ensure that you have the opportunity to hold the Government to account. To the Government, I say to you, my expectation is that you will be accountable.”
With those words, Parliament’s new speaker, Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe gave we members of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition much cause for hope.
Speaker Rurawhe this week became the 31st Speaker of the House of Parliament and its second Maori Speaker.
He comes with a legacy of respected leadership across Maoridom, the Ratana church, and in Parliament. He combines personal humility with a determination to ensure that Parliament – and our democracy – functions well.
For those reasons, he has the full support of the National Party.
The 30th Speaker, however, did not. In my two short years in Parliament, I have seen the credibility of the nation’s highest court erode, almost, to the point of no return. I have seen the mana – the prestige – of the chair degraded and denigrated with countless instances of shouting matches and bully-boy tactics.
And let’s not forget the false rape allegation levelled at a Parliamentary staffer, the audacious use of over $300,000 of taxpayer money to pay the subsequent legal bill, or the infantile treatment of those protesting outside Parliament this year by dousing them with the lawn sprinklers and subjecting them to tortuous music.
While these may seem beltway matters concerning Wellington, in actual fact they concern every man, woman and child of this realm.
All of us across Canterbury have, in some way, been impacted by the behaviour of Trevor Mallard.
For, afterall, it is this chair – and the person who occupies it – that upholds New Zealand’s democracy.
Time and time again Parliament’s infamous brawler has run interference to protect the Prime Minister, he has injudiciously shut down debate, he has prevented questions being asked, and he regularly kicks members out of the Chamber – with seemingly little regard for the Speaker’s rulings – the ‘rule book’ to which we all adhere.
In his acceptance remarks, Speaker Rurawhe went on to say that he will carry on the long tradition of upholding the rights and privileges of the House – and specifically referenced freedom of speech.
He said “you are all the voices of all the people that you represent, and it’s important that their voices are heard. We may disagree with each other on both sides of the House, but it’s really important that those voices are heard”.

• By Nicola Grigg

National’s Nicola Grigg grew up in Mt Somers and is currently the Selwyn MP.