Has announced his resignation from Parliament where, after 30 years as an MP, he was ‘Father of the House’. The resignation follows on from an allegation of workplace bullying.
Nick has been a ‘colorful’ character with all that this implies. Word from the traps is that Mallard, in his capacity as Head of Parliamentary Services, leaked this to the media. Smith and Mallard have form. No matter, you can be assured that Smiths departure will not cost the taxpayer the third of a million dollars (and climbing) that Mallard has incurred after falsely accusing a Labour Party staffer of being a rapist.
Contrast the two actions. Smith resigns. Mallard stays. Any guesses as to which one of the two has acted honorably.
Thank you Nick for your service. We have agreed to disagree on a number of issues including the gun control legislation. But you have always been upfront and forcefully defended your position and it’s right and proper that the National Party gives you the space to do so.
No Minister 
When someone has a crack at knocking Mallard over that person will face a charge of countryside.
A real face of environment commitment from a great servant of National, Nelson Electorate and New zealand public life, a National victory for the increasingly woke area between Tasman and Kaikoura will be a hard sell.
Enjoy a well deserved respite from the sometimes ugly place Nick Smith all the very best. Murray.
I met Nick Smith when our local MP the late John Falloon brought Nick, Bill English and I think another young National MP to a public meeting in Waipawa about 6 months after they were elected to Parliament in the early 1990s. They seemed 3 young men with good ideas and ethics.
Over the last four years I have been impressed with the way Nick Smith held Andrew Little to account on electoral reform and justice – he was all over Little who had no answers most of the time.
Nicks experience and knowledge will be missed in the house by everyone on the right and I hope National has someone else lined up to hold the despicable Mallard to account.
Sorry Vet, he’s known as “Nick the dick” in our family. A relative was a staffer in his office about 25 years ago who left because of his bullying.
Paranormal … as I said, NS was a colorful (read volatile) character and what might have been overlooked then is clearly not acceptable now.
He did the honorable thing … Mallard and Whaitiri (who was stood down from her portfolios after an allegation that she assaulted one of her staffers and is now back in cabinet) not so much.
Snork…chuckle….Burn Of The Day – Shane Reti:
Accompanied by a photo of Nick that shows what thirty years in Parliament does to you. Of course the true Gold Standard of any centrist politician is that you’re not only despised by the likes of moi, but also Good riddance to a climate criminal.
Woah! Dude. Harsh! I’m supposedly an “extremist” and even I only thought Nick was just fucking useless. Win-Win for him and National I guess.
But back to Cactus Kate:
I guess we wasted money on this one.
Click to access independent-external-review-into-bullying-and-harassment-in-the-new-zealand-parliamentary-workplace-final-report.pdf
As with Nineteen Eighty Four TPTB appear to have treated that document more as a How-To instruction manual than a warning of what not to do.