Peters Winston: Election of Speaker 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Peters Winston: Election of Speaker 
[Sitting date: 31 January 2013. Volume:687;Page:7683. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Mr Speaker-Elect this is not to add a discordant note but it is fundamental in our parliamentary democracy that we carefully choose a Speaker. It is of great importance and that is why this is a serious and significant event not just here but around the country. It would be churlish not to acknowledge the departing Speaker and his contribution to this House. As you know from time to time we have disagreed with his judgments but that is the nature of a mature and robust democracy. 
Although we wish the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith well in his new appointment representing New Zealand in one of our most important bases abroad London we nevertheless have to place on record our disquiet that in a time when so many career diplomats have lost their jobs in foreign affairs yet another political appointment by this Government has been made superseding the lifelong commitment to the service of these career diplomats and the country is going to suffer because of it. 
There is another aspect of the transition that cannot be overlooked. Given the importance of the role of the Speaker as Parliament’s man or woman we were deeply disappointed that the Government chose not to involve all political parties in any of the background considerations regarding the selection of a new Speaker. We are committed to a well-organised and effective democratic parliamentary process. We would have contributed constructively and thoughtfully to a dialogue around the selection of a new Speaker which has been the long tradition of this Parliament. We want this House to work and to work well in the interest of our democracy. So it is our view that it would have been consistent with the values and spirit of our democracy for the Government to engage with other parties over the appointment of a new Speaker. This was not done and there remains outstanding any explanation as to why it was done this way—or even to have a debate today on this very unprecedented selection process. 
It makes your job doubly difficult and I am certain you are very much aware of that. If the Government wants cooperation then it needs to understand that cooperation is a two-way street. The manner of this selection evinces arrogance and a poor understanding of the need to try to image political neutrality in this post. We do not blame you for it because the decision not to consult was not yours. In short in our view it reflects poorly on the leadership of this Government. 
So here we have an appointment that belies all the grandiose statements of aspiration cooperation and positivism and this one act exposes the Government for being the shibboleths that in National’s mouth they have most regrettably become. I am not going to stand here today and make out that everything is fine and dandy because it is not. This is a very important appointment and we do congratulate you on having succeeded and we wish you the very very best in what because of the circumstances of your advent to this job is going to be more and more difficult. That said we will give you a fair go and seek to cooperate with you in what will be we hope a successful transition. All the very best of British.