Pollies: Trevor Mallard's behaviour and Rawiri Waititi refusing to wear a tie

Published: Feb. 9, 2021, 10:32 p.m.

There's support from both sides of the political aisle for enforcing dress standards in the House of Parliament.
Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi was kicked out of the House yesterday, for wearing a hei-tiki around his neck instead of a tie.
The party is now in talks with Speaker Trevor Mallard about changing the rules.
Labour's Stuart Nash says Waititi is wrong, and needs to follow the rules.
National's Mark Mitchell agrees, saying if standards are allowed to slip, people will turn up to Parliament in T-shirt and shorts.
On the issue of Trevor Mallard’s behaviour, Stuart Nash says that although the Speaker's rape allegation was indefensible, it isn't enough for him to lose his job
National wants the Speaker to be punished for spending more than $300,000 dollars of taxpayer money on a legal case, after wrongly calling a Parliamentary worker a rapist.
It plans to file notices of motion through the year.
Nash says what Mallard did WAS inexcusable, but he has owned it and apologised for it.
LISTEN ABOVE