Political fallout from Mallard brawl uncertain
The Gist: Things got a little heated both inside and outside the debating chamber of New Zealand parliament yesterday, culminating in MP and minister for the Labour Party Trevor Mallard punching National Party MP Tau Henare after Henare made some comments about Mallard’s personal life. Mallard has recently split from his wife and his father also passed away recently. Mallard drew criticism from National Party members for making comments on Don Brash’s marital woes while Brash was Opposition leader. Mallard later went to the National Party offices with Deputy Prime-Minister Michael Cullen to apologise for the punch. The apology was accepted.
Tau Henare (Through the National Party) says: No comment.
Trevor Mallard says: Not immediately available for comment.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says: “Both men should look in the mirror.”
The political ghost of former National Party leader Don Brash says: Oh ho ho ho! Actually all I can do really is ho ho eerily as a ghost normally does, I’ll just hope the irony speaks for itself.
Guest Commentator Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says:Normally people, if you’re smelling what The Rock is cooking this time of year, you’ll get a nose full of practice Turkey in the oven as The Rock gets ready for Thanksgiving. But The Rock’s got another kind of fowl play on his mind right now, he’s talking about a Jabroni who’s Candy Ass doesn’t like the taste of what he dishes out, and goes wild duck in the process. Mallard’s lucky The Rock wasn’t there to lay the smack down with a double serving of The People’s Elbow, extra crisp. IF YA SMEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, WHAT THE ROCK *pause for dramatic effect* IS COOKIN’!
Cliff Notes’ News Commentary Team says: We’re betting the laissez-faire attitude the Labour Party tends to have in the market of political accountability continues. It’s a little amusing to think that David Benson-Pope got into such hot water for allegedly stuffing tennis balls into student mouths, and now we’re seeing Mallard apparently trying to stick his fists into other MPs mouths. The National Party have probably handled this as well as they can, while the likes of Cullen, Goff, and Clark must be wondering what they’ve done during their solid political careers to deserve some of the bungles they’ve had from fellow MPs these past few years. Actually, like a lot of politicians, they probably know what they’ve done, and keep it in a sealed yellow envelope in a safe that they hope Jason Bourne never comes back for, but they’re just wondering why they’re having to pay for that all at once.
October 25, 2007 at 12:01 am
UPDATE: Tau Henare has commented further:
“I said something that was rather edgy. I’m not going to say what I said. Suffice to say that that’s a robust place where things are said that are edgy, but you don’t expect to get punched for it. He’s a minister. He’s a front bench man. If people can’t handle it, then maybe they need to have a look at their career.
“It’s Parliament, for God’s sake … people say things in the heat of the moment. They don’t expect to get hit for it.”