Decision due on protest MP today

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Police hope to decide today whether to charge National Party MP Shane Ardern after he drove a tractor up Parliament's steps during last Thursday's noisy flatulence tax rally.

The Speaker, Jonathan Hunt, yesterday read an apology to Parliament from Mr Ardern about his actions which concerned parliamentary security staff and police. However, after the apology was read, National deputy leader Roger Sowry questioned Mr Hunt's impartiality.

Mr Sowry said his handling of Mr Ardern's case was in "sharp contrast" to his handling of Labour MP Harry Duynhoven's breach of the Electoral Act over his Dutch citizenship.

"You stayed silent for long enough for the Government to ensure the law was changed and thereby denying any report to the House from yourself on Mr Duynhoven's breach."

Mr Hunt met Mr Ardern after the incident to express his unhappiness and indicated the Parliamentary Service would bill him for cleaning up debris left by the tractor.

Mr Ardern's apology said "no offence was intended and I regret any inconvenience that this caused".

Police Wellington area controller Inspector Marty Grenfell said that following a visit by a senior police officer to Mr Ardern yesterday a decision on laying charges would be made as soon as possible.

He said the police needed to look at the safety of Mr Ardern's actions and whether they fitted within the bounds of acceptable behaviour.

Mr Ardern said he told police yesterday what had taken place and they had "gone away" to consider it.

Asked if the police had expressed concern about his actions, he said that was between him and the police.

But despite his apology to the House, Mr Ardern told the Herald his actions had not been unsafe and Mr Hunt's concerns were an attempt to divert attention from the unpopular flatulence tax issue.

"Driving up the steps of Parliament in a tractor is nowhere near as dangerous as what happens on a daily basis on most farms, particularly hill-country farms, around New Zealand every day of the week."

Transport Minister Paul Swain told Parliament that in the past four years, 14 people had been killed in tractor accidents in New Zealand.

The Government had been working with Federated Farmers on a farm safety campaign.

The farming body had sent safety material to Mr Ardern after he drove the tractor up Parliament's steps without a safety frame and it claimed "in blatant disregard of public safety".

National MP David Carter asked how many tractor accidents occurred in 1987 - the last time a tractor was driven on to the steps of Parliament by a "senior Labour Party minister".

Mr Carter was referring to a similar stunt by former Labour Cabinet minister Bob Tizard who was demonstrating a form of alternative fuel.

Mr Swain replied he did not have such figures and said "two wrongs won't make a right".

He added: "A Government policy is no excuse for that member making a complete idiot of himself."