Appointments — Assistant Speaker

I seek leave to move a motion without notice to appoint an Assistant Speaker.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.

I move, That H V Ross Robertson be appointed Assistant Speaker. Kia ora and good afternoon. Ross Robertson was born on 22 May 1949, which makes him a Gemini on the cusp of Taurus. I am advised that as a pair of bull-headed twins, people of this sign are fascinated with gathering as much information as possible, and their facility as communicators is unmatched.

To find out what motivated Mr Robertson to enter politics after a 20-year career in management, I tracked down a conference speech he gave in 1996. In his own words: “I was attracted to stand for Parliament in 1987, 3 years into what is now regarded as the great modern experiment in economic reforms among the OECD nations. I enrolled into a Labour Party with a strong and well-communicated point of view about creating wealth and well-being. I delighted in the sense of a unified and broad spectrum caucus.” I am sure those sentiments are just as strong today.

Members of the House know Mr Robertson for his unwillingness for the Chair to be drawn into the debate, his respect for Māori language and protocol, his potent use of members’ notices of motion, and, of course, his scarves. But I ask how many of us knew that he has represented Auckland and Wellington in rugby at various levels and has coached softball and soccer at provincial level, or that he was New Zealand’s representative at the Regional Parliamentary Workshop on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2006.

Members on this side of the House know Ross Robertson as a member with the utmost respect for this institution and its public face. Although he has yet to find support for a code of conduct for his members, I have no doubt that appointing Ross Robertson as Assistant Speaker will indirectly improve standards in the House through the unimpeachable example set by the member himself.

I stand with some mixed emotions about this motion. I have held the position that Mr Ross Robertson is about to assume for some time, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Speaker’s eyrie in the Chamber. One looks down upon the members and gains a particular perspective that one does not get from sitting on either the Government benches or the Opposition benches. It is a very interesting position from which to view the House, and it gives one a greater appreciation of the institution. I am very happy to support this motion, because Ross has previously performed this function incredibly well. Ross is well known for swotting up on his Standing Orders and his Speakers’ rulings. He has the most annotated books of Standing Orders of the House of Representatives and Speakers’ Rulings that I have seen. He constantly reviews them, and on nearly every occasion that Ross gives a ruling he will refer members to, say, Speaker’s ruling 97/3, and he will say it almost off by heart. He is assiduous in his study of the work. Mr Robertson is indeed an unimpeachable person in this House as far as the Standing Orders are concerned. On behalf of the Labour Party, I have the greatest pleasure in supporting this motion.

Motion agreed to.

Kia ora tātou. Nō reira, tēnā koutou matua Mr Speaker. It is with humility that I gratefully accept the honour that my parliamentary colleagues have offered me—to serve in this House as one of their presiding officers, and this is not my first time.

This Parliament, the forty-ninth Parliament of New Zealand, is blessed with many new talents, alongside seasoned politicians who are well accustomed to the delicate difference of opinion in this place. I will ensure that every member has the fullest opportunity to define, defend, and deliver his or her vision according to the letter of the Standing Orders and Speakers’ Rulings and in the spirit of engagement that our public expects.

This is a robust Parliament, a place for full and vigorous debate, but contributions will be made with respect for the traditions of the House as enshrined in our Standing Orders. This is a place where continuous streams of ideas are tested according to our Standing Orders and Speakers’ rulings. It is like a river that flows from bank to bank so that its true potential is realised for all.

I received an email from a seasoned parliamentary observer following the announcement that I was to be nominated as an Assistant Speaker. It read: “Ross is back”, but he thought those words applied to Winston Churchill returning as First Sea Lord. My duty is to keep debate within the Standing Orders. After all, these are the rules crafted from well over a century and a half of parliamentary practice in New Zealand, and it is my duty to ensure that they are upheld.

I trust that we will work together, tātou tātou, to ensure that this House grows in public esteem, for courtesy is contagious, and we will all prosper if we keep within the Standing Orders. Tihei mauri ora! Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.