Phil Goff

by Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, Nov 20 NZPA - Labour leader Phil Goff is unimpressed that the new National Government is not going to allow one of his MPs to be deputy Speaker.

Mr Goff today repeated criticism of National leader John Key's decision to nominate as Speaker Lockwood Smith, whom he believes is too partisan to be fair. He also said National intended to appoint Lindsay Tisch as deputy speaker.

Both Dr Smith and Mr Tisch missed out on Cabinet roles and Mr Goff said the appointments were to placate the long-serving MPs rather than choosing the right person for the job.

He said the roles were being treated as "a dumping ground for those that can't get into Cabinet" and thought MPs like Eric Roy and John Carter were better choices.

Mr Key has previously defended Dr Smith's nomination, saying: "He is a very intelligent man and he is a very considered individual who I believe will show balance and the appropriate gravitas for that position."

A National MP, Clem Simich, who has since retired, was deputy Speaker in the last Parliament. The other positions were held by Labour MPs: Speaker Margaret Wilson and assistants, Marian Hobbs and Ross Robertson.

Mr Goff said Mr Simich was an excellent deputy speaker.

"Our preference would be to maintain the convention that was developed in the last term of Parliament that the office of Speaker should be split between different parties."

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee said Mr Goff was making up a tradition and National would definitely be nominating someone as deputy speaker. He would not confirm it would be Mr Tisch.

"Overall the government and supporting parties have a fairly commanding majority so yes," he said.

He said there was no tradition or convention for another party to get a role.

"It's been a government speaker all the way through and in their first two terms Labour had both speaker and the deputy speaker."

Mr Brownlee said exceptions, such as Peter Tapsell, were few and the norm was for the government of the day to have its MPs in the roles. Dr Tapsell, a Labour MP, was Speaker from 1993-96 while a National government was in power.

Assistant Speakers get more than $12,000 extra for their work.

Labour would have nominated Rick Barker for the role.

Asked why Mr Robertson was not considered, Mr Goff said while he was fond of the role he had other talents, had been appointed as spokesman in several areas and was a useful local MP.

The Speaker positions will be elected on December 8 and National looks set to have the numbers to get its nominations.

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