Points of Order — Request for Apology—“Rope-head” Comments Made in House

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. While we are on the subject of apologies, I want to say that yesterday in the House my colleague Rod Donald raised a point of order in which he asked the Rt Hon Winston Peters to withdraw his “rope-head” comment if it had been intended in a derogatory manner, and you asked Mr Peters to withdraw that comment if that had been the case. The Rt Hon Winston Peters responded with: “I asked the Minister as to which parties are out there supporting rope-heads, which clearly suggests that they are not in this Parliament.” I have subsequently examined the Hansard and have found that Mr Peters said: “ … and which parties support the rope-head view expressed by a certain member of this Parliament?”. I am raising this point of order in the House to allow Winston Peters the opportunity to withdraw his comment and apologise; otherwise, I do intend to take this further as a matter of privilege by way of his deliberately misleading the House.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: If I get any letter to that effect, of course I will rule on that matter then. That is nothing to do with me at this stage.