Act offers anti-war MP a bullseye

By JOHN ARMSTRONG

An Act MP says a bullseye target should be pinned to one of the Greens' most vocal anti-war MPs.

During questions in Parliament on Iraq, Act's Gerry Eckhoff referred to incorrect reports that Green MP Keith Locke intended travelling to Baghdad to act as a "human shield" to try to stop an American attack.

Mr Eckhoff, whose party backs United States' policy on Iraq, held up a sheet of paper with a three-ringed target drawn on it and suggested Mr Locke should take it with him "as a token of our esteem".

Greens co-leader Rod Donald asked the Speaker Jonathan Hunt whether it was acceptable for someone to incite people to "shoot an MP".

But Mr Hunt said the illustration was a question of taste and that was not something on which he could make a ruling.

Mr Locke, who has no intention of acting as a human shield, described Mr Eckhoff's behaviour as "puerile and immature".