Armstrong on Smith
February 1st, 2013 at 2:00 pm by David FarrarJohn Armstrong writes:
So exits Lockwood Smith as Parliament’s Speaker. And to genuine and sustained applause from MPs from all parties.
Except Winston whose speech yesterday was churlish. Winston goes from having the Speaker being the guy who beat him for a safe seat nomination in 1984, to the guy whom he unsuccessfully tried to sue for defamation. He holds a grudge.
Once the House was under way, there could often be too much referee’s whistle rather than him allowing the two main parties to engage in no-holds-barred debate. He was noticeably reluctant to grant applications for snap debates – one of the few means available to Opposition parties to hold Governments to account. He was subject to potential no confidence motions from Opposition parties.
Yet no other Speaker has done more to help the Opposition and uphold Parliament’s role of ensuring Cabinet ministers are accountable for what happens in their portfolios. His insistence that a minister address the actual question being posed by an Opposition MP rescued Parliament from fast-approaching irrelevance.
He has indeed, and the precedents he has established will carry on beyond him.
Carter is an avuncular figure who enjoys respect around Parliament for the quiet, modest and unfussy way he has gone about doing a good job in his ministerial portfolios. He will do a good job as Speaker even though he might not have wanted the job. But Smith will be a hard act to follow.
Indeed.
Tags: David Carter, John Armstrong, Lockwood Smith, Speaker
February 1st, 2013 at 2:16 pm
I occasionally listen to Australian parliament when driving during the day. I wish they had a Lockwood – the pretence of answering questions that they go through is frankly embarrassing, basically it’s an opportunity for the questioner to read out a prepared statement on something (hoping for media time), and the Minister to read out a prepared statement on something completely unrelated, either making a petty point or seeking their own media time. It seems to have no redeeming merits.
On the upside, Australia has Senate Estimates, which is a powerful means of holding govt to account.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 2:34 pm
I clashed with Lockwood when he was Minister of Education in the early to mid-90s and didn’t think well of him. I still have issues with several of his ‘reforms’, however he was easily the best Speaker I’ve seen (since Burke) and has dramatically improved the conduct of Parliament. A significant contribution to the NZ democracy. Here’s hoping his standards are maintained.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Smith was a good Speaker. He was however a disaster as Minister Of Education. He, all too easily let himself be seduced by the left-wing education politburo into implementing some truly loony tunes ideas. The worst two were the removal of the importance of grammar, syntax and punctuation in the English curriculum and secondly, the “unit standards” fiasco which effectively ruined apprenticeships as we knew it.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Yes, Winston was churlish (he mentioned that word himself. This is what he said:
John Key, Peter Dunne, Turiana Turia, John Banks, Gerry Brownlee and Brendan Horan all praised Lockwood. David Shearer less so but he would have known him less well. Metiria Turei offered mild praise. Trevor Mallard was quite complimentary about what Lockwood did outside the house.
Here is what all the leaders said from Hansard and also with links to videos.: http://yournz.org/2013/02/01/tributes-to-lockwood-smith-from-parliament/
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Should we be at all concerned, that our democracy is in such a state that one stand-out guy can really significantly improve the way it functions?
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 2:58 pm
RRM @ 2:46
No.
However we should be very concerned that two Labour hacks were able to bring the institution to its knees.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 3:18 pm
RRM – if we had a parliament full of responsible adults who put the representation of people and running of the country first we would hardly need a speaker, they would be able to set an example and behave themselves like adults.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 3:21 pm
It’s a fact of life that the referee has a huge bearing on the way the game is played, isn’t it?
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 3:37 pm
In my experience Lockwood was a good Minister of Education who was willing to listen and work collaboratively. He was good fun and always engaged with the people he was working with. Great to see him boogying with high school kids and having a great time with them and they with him. Yet the unions still sneered at him despite his having the PhD they all failed to achieve.
It was good to hear Tariana give him credit for kura kaupapa. How often it is National that delivers to Maori! Not that they get much thanks.
Winston was rude, ungracious and nasty. He just makes a fool of himself these days as he burbles and wanders and smirks like a half-wit. He and Captain Mumblef-ck will make a good pair!
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Wilson had never been in opposition. She was also a close personal friend of the PM.
I’ll always remember her time as a blot on our democracy.
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Lockwood’s great achievement is:
He created bulls outside of parliament
Vote:and killed bull inside of parliament.
February 1st, 2013 at 5:11 pm
its always the same isn’t it Farrar, you are one of the most gifted individuals in New Zealand,
Vote:and yet you will not admit the obvious,
you could be writing about the Green Labour Government soon,
you come to terms with reality now
February 1st, 2013 at 5:14 pm
BeaB (1,450) Says:
Vote:February 1st, 2013 at 3:37 pm
In my experience Lockwood was a good Minister of Education who was willing to listen and work collaboratively. He was good fun and always engaged with the people he was working with. Great to see him boogying with high school kids and having a great time with them and they with him. Yet the unions still sneered at him despite his having the PhD they all failed to achieve.
It was good to hear Tariana give him credit for kura kaupapa. How often it is National that delivers to Maori! Not that they get much thanks.
February 1st, 2013 at 8:54 pm
What does Carter look like in budgie smugglers though?
Vote: