By Stephen Parker
After 18 months in the job, Parliament’s Speaker Lockwood Smith has achieved a notable record.
During his time in office he’s only ejected three MPs from the debating chamber for unruly behaviour.
But long before Dr Lockwood Smith became Speaker of the House, he was the host of popular children’s quiz show W3.
And Dr Smith says he tries to bring his experience as a television presenter to Question Time.
“For something to be interesting television it’s got to have pace.
Question Time in previous Parliaments has been such a stop go affair as members get to their feet the Speaker looks to see who’s going to ask the question next. I’ve speeded all that up.
The whole thing has far more momentum and it’s a slicker show. It’s far better for television and that helps.”
Dr Smith believes he’s restored some of the dignity of the house by bringing back procession rituals and creating order in the bear pit of Parliament’s Question Time.
“People were losing confidence in the place. They didn’t like what they were seeing on Parliament as it was being televised.
They didn’t like the nastiness of the place and Parliamentary democracy is such a fragile thing.”
Lockwood Smith says the most important change he’s made is to re-interpret the standing orders.
He says Government ministers are now expected to make a greater effort to answer rather than duck questions, including the Prime Minister.
However, past Speaker and former Labour MP Jonathon Hunt isn’t impressed by the new Speaker.
“Well like every speaker he has his plusses and minuses. I cannot understand why he insists on marching right down through Parliament to get to his seat, I think that’s overdoing it and I think there’s as much annoyance on the Government benches as there is on the opposition benches. The main criticism I have is during Question Time, the asking of questions – now when I was Speaker I would not allow any interjecting whatsoever when a question was being asked.”
Labour MP Darren Hughes says while the Speaker is working well in the Chamber, he doesn’t have to deal with two MPs who used to drag out Question Time.
“Rodney Hide is now trained in a ministerial car, and of course Winston Peters was a phenomenal Parliamentary performer and was able to bring lots of points of order.”
Now in Government, some National MPs are privately frustrated with the way their man has thrown himself into the Speaker’s role. The party line, however, is supportive.
Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee says Parliament is a place where the executive is held accountable and Dr Smith is doing a very good job.
“The dignity he has brought to the place is very commendable.”
Lockwood Smith says he discussing with key players a return to more debates of issues rather than endless repetition of a party’s position written by research units.
“Whether I can make much progress in the area I don’t know, but it would be good.”