Speaker gets shirty over MP's Highlanders jersey

Labour MP Clare Curran. Photo / One News

As Speaker, Lockwood Smith has done a power of good by reminding National's Cabinet of the old-fashioned notion of ministerial accountability - and then insisting ministers meet that benchmark in Parliament. But he can also be an old-fashioned stickler for the rules. At times, overly so.

Yesterday's ejection from the chamber of Dunedin Labour MP Clare Curran for wearing a replica of the soon-to-be-ditched Highlanders' blue, gold and maroon jersey in solidarity with aggrieved rugby fans in the Deep South is a case in point.

Smith was technically correct. Parliament's rules are clear. The Speaker is bound to "take issue" with any MP not dressed in "appropriate business attire" regardless of sex.

Insisting Curran leave and change into something more acceptable, Smith noted that he had waited until she had finished her questions to a minister. He also noted that he was not blocking her returning to the chamber, as would be the case with someone ejected for bad behaviour.

"If a male member of this House came into the chamber wearing a soccer top or a rugby top, he would be asked to leave ... What is expected in this House is normal business attire ... It is not a big call."

But it was too big a call for some. Green co-leader Metiria Turei was clearly angered and walked out alongside Curran in obvious protest.

Then a stern-faced Sue Kedgley, another Green MP, asked Smith to spell out exactly what was meant by "business attire" that "we women are expected to comply with".

Smith realised he was in danger of sinking into a fashion-related quagmire as fast as the price of a winter coat drops in the spring sales.

"I do not think women need a lot of assistance on what is reasonable," he replied judiciously. "All I am asking is for members to be reasonable."

Kedgley again tried to get him to spell out what constituted business attire for women. "I, for one, am completely confused."

But Smith cut her short. "I trust members' own judgment on that - within reason. It does not need me to indicate to women what reasonable business attire is."

If he was in doubt, Kedgley later informed him via a blog that directing women to wear "business attire" was code for telling them to dress like men.

"This ruling is indicative of the fact that Parliament is still the male citadel that it was when I entered it 12 years ago - based on male rules, male culture, male values."

During the exchange with Curran, Smith had insisted he was not going to be pedantic. Unfortunately, that was just what he was being. He could have quietly ignored her one-day wonder or just told her he would accept her attire once, but not to repeat it.

After all, she is not the first MP to wear a team shirt in the House. Last year, National's Jackie Blue wore an All Whites jersey without penalty.

Ironically, the winner from all this was Curran. Until the Speaker intervened, it had looked as if her silent protest would go largely unremarked. The only thing worse than bad publicity is no publicity.