The Speakers

We now know who the four presiding officers will be for this Parliament.

Trevor Mallard has been elected Speaker. Trevor has the potential to be a very good Speaker, but the test will be whether he can as tough on the Government as Lockwood Smith was with National. He certainly has the knowledge needed, and most MPs say he has done a good job as an Assistant Speaker.

Anne Tolley from National will be Deputy Speaker. In the past this has been a Government appointee also but Labour to their credit has recognised that National’s size in the House would see their appointee more appropriately as Deputy Speaker.

Anne has had much experience as Deputy Leader of the House for National and should do well.

Labour’s Assistant Speakers are Poto Williams and Adrian Rurawhe. They are not particularly well known as contributors in the House, so how they go as presiding officers is harder to predict. They may have a steep learning curve, and Speaker Mallard may have to help tutor them. Almost all existing Labour MPs have become Ministers or Whips so Labour didn’t have a lot of choice.

The only existing Labour MPs who have not become a Minister, presiding officer, PUS or Whips are Raymond Huo, Rino Tirikatene and Louisa Wall.

This suggests that some new Labour MPs will become Select Committee Chairs immediately.