The court action I took against Speaker Trevor Mallard has today resulted in his public apology.  This action was taken not for myself, but on behalf of the people of New Zealand to make a stand and fight for our fundamental freedoms, rights, and to protect our democracy.

Mr Mallard has admitted to the High Court that his actions were unreasonable and irrational when he trespassed me from Parliament.  It was clearly unjustified and a direct attack on every New Zealander’s freedoms which are protected under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.

The actions taken by Mr Mallard contrary to the Bill of Rights is a disgraceful indictment on the position and responsibility he had as the Speaker of our House.

To think that this behaviour is now rewarded with an overseas diplomatic post representing New Zealand on the world stage is a staggering insult to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to every New Zealander.

What is astonishing, is that the Prime Minister announced Mr Mallard’s appointment despite knowing all of the details behind his apology - including his self-admitted irrational and unreasonable behaviour. With this added to his past record of wrongfully accusing a parliamentary staffer of rape – costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, spraying people including children with cold water, and yet still appointing him in an ambassadorial role, shows an unmesurable depth of contempt for all New Zelanders and indeed to the people of Ireland.

The following is quoted from the Speaker's Apology to Rt Hon Winston Peters.

"Speaker apologises over Parliament trespass notice issued to Rt Hon Winston Peters

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has apologised for a trespass notice issued to former Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Peters.

The Speaker has also retracted and apologised for comments which related to Mr Peters in a 4 May press release.

The Speaker has admitted to the High Court at Wellington that the exercise of power under section 26(2) of the Parliamentary Service Act 2000 to issue Mr Peters a warning under section 4 of the Trespass Act 1980 was unreasonable and irrational.

He has further admitted to the High Court that issuing the warning was an unjustified limitation on Mr Peters’ right to freedom of movement under section 18 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, and that Mr Peters had not acted in any way which justified him being issued with the warning.

The High Court’s decision is pending."

Note:

The notice referred to was issued while Rt Hon Trevor Mallard was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He resigned on 24 August 2022.