'Unashamed Westie’ has few regrets

Regrets? After some 39 years in the place, not surprisingly he had a few.

Jonathan Lucas Hunt - parliamentarian extraordinaire - also had some departing advice on how to make the place better as he made his final goodbye last night, including a novel suggestion to prod the apathetic to vote at general elections.

Feeling "slightly nervous", the former Speaker delivered a farewell speech to a packed Parliament which added a new title to a long list which includes former Cabinet minister, Privy Councillor, member of the Order of New Zealand, and soon-to-be High Commissioner to London.

As an "unashamed Westie", he declared his failure to get a law passed protecting the Waitakere ranges as a major regret. He had tried to do so in 1973, but did not have the backing he needed from the relevant local authority.

Without mentioning Sir Robert Muldoon, he bemoaned the lack of legislation which would prohibit the Prime Minister from also being the Minister of Finance. "I don't think so much power should rest in one person's hands."

However, his last suggestion was his most surprising. He wanted to make it compulsory for every citizen to go to a polling booth on election day to collect a ballot paper.

"What they do with the ballot paper is their own business. But when you have got something as precious as democracy ... I would like to see that as something that we could accept."

His final regret was "the decline of various areas of the media", with one of his biggest disappointments being Auckland and Wellington now having only one daily paper.

Among his successes, he listed the Adult Adoption Information Act and the incorporation of his suggestions into Government legislation in the 1970s liberalising film censorship. He also "liked to think" he had saved National Radio and Concert FM during his stint as Minister of Broadcasting in the 1980s.

Otherwise, his valedictory speech was surprisingly low-key, with much of it being a lengthy "thank-you" note to scores of friends and former staff. Singled out for special mention were Sir Robert Jones - "someone with whom I disagree a lot, but at least he speaks his mind", Sir Roger Douglas - "an outstanding mind", and Helen Clark and Michael Cullen - "special friends".

However, Mr Hunt had clearly decided to forgo an extravaganza of anecdotes in favour of making a final statement as a long-serving parliamentarian. The speech was laced with references to the institution which he had seen grow stronger for now having more women MPs and younger MPs - and fewer smokers.

"There is so much more I could say," he declared as he wound things up. He had not even used all his allotted time. But he judged he had said enough. He sat down to sustained applause from all sides.

Later this morning, he will be vested in the Order of New Zealand. He is on the plane to London tonight.

This creature of parliamentary habit is leaving in the only way possible - by going cold turkey.