Former Deputy Speaker and National MP Anne Tolley expected the Speaker's legal dispute to be costly when she signed off on tax payers' footing the bill. More than $300,000 were spent in defamation proceedings after Trevor Mallard wrongly claimed an accused rapist was working on Parliament's premises. The case has sparked criticism from the National Party, who claims a rule change last year has been used to benefit the Speaker. Tolley, in her role as deputy speaker, changed the rules so Parliament's Speakers will have access to the same legal financial support as Ministers. She then signed off on taxpayer money being used to cover Mallard's legal bill last year. Tolley told political reporter Katie Scotcher she was approached by the Chief Executive of Parliamentary Services and the Clerk about the legal proceedings.