Retiring Speaker Margaret Wilson says bad behaviour during question time damages Parliament’s reputation and the rules should be changed.
Speaking on TV One’s Agenda programme, Ms Wilson said penalties for misconduct were token.
“For instance, if you ask someone to leave the chamber they should lost the vote, that would be an enormous incentive,” she said.
Under the rules as they are, an MP can be ordered out of the chamber for misbehaving but their vote is still cast by the party whip.
Wilson also said the shape of the debating chamber should be changed.
“If you go to other MMP parliaments they have a totally different configuration where it is actually difficult to yell abuse at someone else when you’re actually positioned differently physically.”
New Zealand’s debating chamber is the same of the House of Commons, with the Government and the Opposition facing each other.
Wilson was also asked about New Zealand becoming a republic, which she supports.
She said it was unlikely to happen while the Treaty of Waitangi remained in force.
“We will not be able to move forward until there is probably a greater resolution on the role of the Treaty of Waitangi,” she said.
NZPA
