A new phrase entered the Parliamentary vocabulary yesterday.
"Blankety, blank" became the official replacement for the word that junior minister John Tamihere applied to cabinet colleague Steve Maharey's welfare polices.
Speaker Jonathan Hunt finds the original a tad too offensive for the debating chamber.
"Hiding behind a woman's skirts" got the the thumbs down, too.
The switch to linguistic niceties came after an outbreak of "bullshitting" (Mr Tamihere's term) in the chamber.
Mr Tamihere has been severely ticked-off by the Prime Minister for his speech to the Knowledge Wave conference last week.
But the Opposition have seized on the comment with relish.
Yesterday Opposition MPs suggested Mr Tamihere be allowed to take his "muzzle off" to answer their questions.
NZ First's Winston Peters wanted to know what example the Youth Minister was setting disadvantaged young people when he made a speech, back-tracked a day later and then "hid behind the skirts of a woman", referring to Helen Clark.
Mr Hunt decided that comment was a bit unparliamentary. But Mr Peters' provocative ploy worked.
"I'm grateful to represent Maori. I stand by everything I said," said Mr Tamihere.
"OOOOOOhhh!" moaned the Opposition, almost drooling in anticipation of another smacking when the Prime Minister re-entered the chamber at the very moment Mr Tamihere uttered his defiance.
"She's baaccck," they cried.
National MP Simon Power tried to finish Mr Tamihere off: "Did the minister just say that he stood by everything he had previously said and would he care to confirm that?"
Mr Tamihere's response was more cautious second time round.
"I was responding to a number of issues raised by the MP for Tauranga [Winston Peters]. I stand by matters that I stood by in what he was talking about."
The attack then shifted to Steve Maharey. Act MP Muriel Newman wanted to know what he thought of the "bullshitting" remark.
But the Speaker had had enough. He ordered Dr Newman to use a less offensive phrase.
"Blankety blank" was her chosen alternative.
In reply, Mr Maharey offered MPs a seminar on welfare reform. That's when the mood turned nasty.
Mr Peters accused him of arrogance.
National MP Nick Smith wanted to know why Mr Maharey was ducking serious allegations that Housing NZ had lied about whether there were vacant state homes available in Nelson.
At least Labour was doing a better job than National had, Mr Maharey replied, enraging the Opposition even further.
In ensuing exchanges, Associate Minister Harry Duynhoven was thrown out of the chamber. Act's deputy leader Ken Shirley soon followed. Education Minister Trevor Mallard was shown the door.
An angry Dr Smith wanted to know how Mr Maharey could get away with such a pathetic answer.
Michael Cullen, just as angry, said it was "too bad" if National didn't like the answer.
Mr Speaker found there was fault on both side.
They were only words, after all.
<i>Francesca Mold:</i> Blankety blank, git outa here
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