Speaker Lockwood Smith. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Dr Lockwood Smith shocked Parliament's MPs today when he mistakenly addressed Dr Russel Norman as deceased former leader Rod Donald.
As Dr Norman rose to ask a question of the Minister of Finance the Speaker addressed him as "Dr Rod Donald". The former male co-leader of the Greens died suddenly in 2005.
An astonished chorus of gasps from the House met Dr Smith's mistake, and Russel Norman quickly corrected him. Dr Smith then apologised profusely for the mistake.
Dr Smith is no stranger to verbal gaffes. Before the last election he courted controversy after saying Asians have small hands.
Speaking to the Marlborough Express he said Asian workers were better at picking fruit "because their hands are smaller".
On that occasion he went on to say that some Pacific workers needed to be taught to use toilets and showers.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
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