NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Trevor Mallard defamation case has already cost taxpayers $80,000

Derek Cheng
By Derek Cheng
Senior Writer·NZ Herald·
26 Jun, 2020 03:51 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard's defamation case has so far cost the taxpayer almost $80,000.

Mallard faces legal action after last year saying that a rapist was working at Parliament.

The Parliamentary worker, who was stood down last May after Mallard's comments, is alleging the Speaker defamed him.

Mallard issued a statement this afternoon about the legal costs incurred so far.

"I have received an inquiry as to the costs to date to the Parliamentary Service in the defamation action. All invoices to date have been paid totalling $79.979.33," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The case is currently subject to extensive non-publication orders therefore no further comment will be made."

Mallard made the comments in May last year as a report was released by independent reviewer Debbie Francis into bullying and harassment at Parliament, which revealed 14 people who said they had been the victim of a sexual assault in the parliamentary workplace.

The report highlighted three serious incidents that Mallard said in media interviews were the actions of a man still working at Parliament.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Reading the report carefully, I get the sense that the man is still on the premises," he told RNZ.

"I'm not aware whether they are an MP or staff ... I don't know who it is. If I knew who it is, I would tell the police."

Mallard characterised the alleged incidents as rape.

"We're talking about serious sexual assault. Well that, for me, that's rape."

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

Political poll chasm closes: Nats up 9, Labour down 9

25 Jun 06:07 AM
New Zealand

One new Covid case from Kenya, 71 people refuse tests

26 Jun 01:27 AM
Business

Covid papers: Treasury advised Robertson of business grant scheme

26 Jun 02:29 AM
New Zealand

John Banks settles legal stoush after being jointly sued for nearly $2m

26 Jun 05:00 PM

Asked if he meant that people had been raped at Parliament, Mallard said: "That is the impression I get from the report, yes."

His comments - called shocking by some parliamentary workers - sparked a series of turbulent events that led to a historical assault complaint and a parliamentary staffer being stood down.

Mallard then said a threat to safety had been removed from the premises.

The staffer, who the Herald has chosen not to identify, later lashed out at Mallard, saying he felt bullied out of the workplace and was the victim of Mallard's "slanderous" comments.

At the time, National's then deputy leader Paula Bennett called Mallard's comments a "serious lapse in judgment", but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she continued to have confidence in him.

Nick Smith: Remarks an 'inappropriate attack'

National MP Nick Smith said Mallard revealing the legal bill was prompted after Smith had lodged a written parliamentary question about the matter on Tuesday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He called the amount a "big sum of money" to cover an "inappropriate attack" on a parliamentary worker.

"The taxpayer would not be footing this bill if it wasn't for the fact that the Speaker went way too far in accusing someone in a way that was inaccurate."

Smith went further, accusing Mallard of abusing his power in light of the fact that Smith was forced to leave the House under escort late last night for arguing with Assistant Speaker Adrian Rurawhe.

Smith – who had already been removed from the House during Question Time for arguing with Mallard on Thursday – was escorted out of the debating chamber by the Serjeant-at-Arms and has since returned to Nelson.

He did not physically resist but, as he was removed from the House, yelled: "What sort of Nazi establishment is running the place?"

"I find it extraordinary that the Speaker is releasing this information only after I lodged a written on Tuesday. He uses his powers as Speaker to do me over on Thursday, sends me home and then late on Friday releases the embarrassing information."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Speaker cannot force Smith to leave Wellington, but Smith had no reason to stay as he was banned from the chamber.

"This is an abuse of power by the Speaker by targeting me in the Parliament for asking uncomfortable questions about The Speaker's Office around this taxpayer bill," Smith said.

"It's just too cute that he released the information not through the written question system, and when he has removed me from the parliamentary precinct."

If a minister had responded to a written parliamentary question in the same way, it would be a contempt, Smith said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Crime

Mongrel Mob mum jailed after going into hiding during daughter's murder trial

11 May 07:00 AM
Crime

Wilhelmina Shrimpton shares update after car sideswiped in Kingsland

New Zealand

Ferry crew member confirmed as new Auckland measles case

11 May 06:49 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Mongrel Mob mum jailed after going into hiding during daughter's murder trial

Mongrel Mob mum jailed after going into hiding during daughter's murder trial

11 May 07:00 AM

Kelly-Anne Burns never returned after being granted short-term bail to attend a funeral.

Wilhelmina Shrimpton shares update after car sideswiped in Kingsland

Wilhelmina Shrimpton shares update after car sideswiped in Kingsland

 Ferry crew member confirmed as new Auckland measles case

Ferry crew member confirmed as new Auckland measles case

11 May 06:49 AM
64 Auckland beaches flagged as unsafe for swimming

64 Auckland beaches flagged as unsafe for swimming

11 May 05:52 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP