National MP Nick Smith has been named and suspended from the House after accusing the Speaker of being "soft on drugs". It's one of the strongest punishments the Speaker can hand out. The incident occurred during the general debate on Wednesday, when Smith sought leave to introduce a Bill to change roadside drug testing laws. However this was rejected by Speaker Trevor Mallard. "I've made it absolutely clear that I won't grant leave for it," he said. "I have made it absolutely clear that I am very unhappy with the member and his approach." He was then interrupted by Smith who said he was "standing up for my constituents". After he was asked to leave the House by Mallard, Smith accused Mallard of being "soft on drugs, like the Government".<doc-sep>Nelson MP Nick Smith has been suspended from Parliament for 24 hours after Trevor Mallard "Named" Smith, promoting a senior National MP to suggest Mallard was a "bully." The dispute between Smith and Mallard happened in the last question of the day in Question Time when he was questioning Police Minister Stuart Nash about the death of Matthew Dow, aged 23, who was was killed at Appleby on New Years Eve in 2017 by a driver high on meth and cannabis. Smith said Nash had told Dow's mother, Karen Dow, and himself last year that Cabinet had approved a discussion document on the introduction of testing for drugged driving and it would be released in the new year. Nash had now admitted that the Government had made no progress, Smith said. "This issue is more important with the Government plans to liberalise drug access." Smith will accept Karen Dow's petition to Parliament this afternoon seeking urgent legislation to introduce random roadside drug testing "to reduce the escalating road toll from drugged drivers, which resulted in 79 fatal crashes in 2017 and exceeds the number caused by those impaired by alcohol". Smith said afterwards he was "gobsmacked" by what had happened in Parliament. He was accompanied by Karen Dow. Mallard had kicked out Smith for disorderly behavior but as he was leaving, Smith shouted out abuse at Mallard, prompting the Speaker to order him back into the House to face a naming motion. All parties of Government, Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First supported it. Naitonal and independent Jami-Lee Ross opposed it. No vote was cast for Act. Once Smith had left the chamber, Brownlee asked if he could make a late submission on Speaker's inquiry into bullying in Parliament. Naming a member is a lot more serious than a simple suspension. It requires the Speaker to seeking the censure of the whole Parliament for conduct he considers so grossly disorderly, that booting an MP out would not be enough. Mallard had kicked out Smith but as he was leaving, Smith shouted out abuse at Mallard, prompting the Speaker to order him back into the House to face a naming motion. All parties of Government, Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First supported it. National and independent Jami-Lee Ross opposed it. No vote was cast for Act. Once Smith had left the chamber, Brownlee asked if he could make a late submission on Speaker's inquiry into bullying in Parliament. Naming a member is a lot more serious than a simple suspension. It requires the Speaker to seeking the censure of the whole Parliament for conduct he considers so grossly disorderly, that booting an MP out would not be enough. The suspension of Smith follows Mallard kicking out National Party leader Simon Bridges from the House in Question Time yesterday. Bridges had moaned in response to an answer from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Mallard accused him of making barnyard-like noises. Last week Mallard compared Hamilton East MP David Bennett to a primate he had recently seen in Rwanda (a gorilla). Bridges clashed a second time with Mallard yester and was kicked out when Bridges called him "unprofessional."<doc-sep>National MP Nick Smith has been suspended from the House for "grossly disorderly conduct", by Speaker Trevor Mallard. Your playlist will load after this ad Mr Smith had attempted to grant leave for the roadside drug testing amendment bill, which was rejected by Speaker Trevor Mallard. "I've made it absolutely clear that I am very unhappy with the member [Dr Smith] and his approach," Mr Mallard said. "I'm just standing up for my constituents," Dr Smith, the Nelson MP, interrupted. He was then asked to leave the House by Mr Mallard. Dr Smith then said, "Soft on drugs, like the Government". Your playlist will load after this ad Mr Mallard told him to return, then said, "I name, Nick Smith for grossly disorderly conduct", he then asked Parliament if Dr Smith should be suspended from the House. A very loud "No" came from the Opposition, however Labour, NZ First, Green Party voted in favour of the suspension. According to Standing Orders, Dr Smith will be suspended for 24 hours. Dr Smith accepted a petition today after his suspension, from the mother of 23-year-old who was killed in an accident involving a driver who had taken methamphetamine. Karen Dow, Matthew Dow's mother, presented the petition urging random roadside drug testing, on Parliament steps this afternoon, surrounded by National MPs. Your playlist will load after this ad "I should have been celebrating my son Matthew’s 25th birthday today but he was robbed of his life," she said in a statement. Today, she told media, Matthew was a "very safety conscious young man, he had an immense sense of justice, and this is why it is very important for us as a family to do right by the rest of New Zealand, to prevent any other family losing a family member". Dr Smith's suspension today comes after National Party leader Simon Bridges was kicked out from the House yesterday.<doc-sep>
Nick Smith says the Speaker "had no business" blocking the introduction of his drug testing Bill and name and suspend him from Parliament. The National MP sought leave during Wednesday's general debate to introduce a Bill to change roadside drug testing laws. It was rejected by Speaker Trevor Mallard, who said he was "very unhappy" with Smith and his approach. Smith interrupted to say he was "standing up for my constituents". After he was asked to leave the House by Mallard, Smith accused Mallard of being "soft on drugs, like the Government". The Speaker ordered Smith to return, named him for "grossly disorderly conduct", then asked if he should be suspended from the House. A party vote confirmed his 24-hour suspension. In a strongly worded statement, Smith says the Speaker was out of order. "It was highly unusual for the Speaker to intervene and block the introduction of National's Bill on roadside drug testing. It was normal for the Speaker to put such leave to the House. "The Speaker had no business in blocking the introduction of the Bill that would have made out roads safer, particularly with the Government liberalising access to drugs. It is worse that he has named me and removed me from doing my job." Later on Wednesday, Smith told Magic Talk's Ryan Bridge the incident was "very disappointing". "The substantive issue in Parliament, as is long-standing practice for my 29 years in this place, is that you can seek the leave of Parliament to introduce a Bill," he explained. "Now what was bizarre is that that leave can be put to the House, and the House can either object or agree to it. But the Speaker, who is meant to be neutral, objected to the Bill being introduced. "I took offence at that. I've never seen that happen in 29 years. He's not meant to get into the debate. "When I objected, he named me, and I've been prohibited from doing my job in Parliament for 24 hours." Smith condemned the Speaker's actions as overly partisan, claiming he stepped out of his designated neutral role. "I think he has done the institution of Parliament a disservice," he said. "I don't think Trevor likes it when National calls Ministers out for saying things that are untrue." Newshub.