Speaker Lockwood Smith has defended a decision not to grant special funding for deaf MP Mojo Mathers' parliamentary note-taker, saying he does not have the authority to approve it.

The Green Party reacted with outrage today after Ms Mathers was told she would have to fund her note-taker from her MP support budget, or that the party would have to fund it.

The note-taker provides Ms Mathers with an instant transcript of what is being said in the House, and the MP said that without it she could not participate in Parliament.

Who should fund deaf MP Mojo Mathers' note-taker? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

  1. your views
  2. Fritz says
    "As much as I have sympathy for her plight (she is a very brave woman), the Greens should be funding her equipment as they are the ones who put her on the list."
  3. The bloke says
    "Parliamentary services should equip every MP so that they can do their job. If they don't want to do it for the profoundly deaf, then legislate to not allow deaf people to become MPs."
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