A former Speaker of the House says if Speakers don't comment to the media, they could be accused of not cooperating or hiding something.
National MP Gerry Brownlee is criticising current Speaker Trevor Mallard for suggesting to media he heard a National MP call the Prime Minister a 'stupid little girl'.
He has written to Mallard, asking for an explanation about why he pushed the story and saying confidence in the Speaker has been significantly shaken.
Margaret Wilson, also a former Labour Cabinet minister told Tim Dower it seems the Speaker answered the question the media put to him.
"I'm not quite sure what you do, do you say you are never going to talk to the media or do you have a set of rules when you talk to the media? So it is a question of judgement."
She says sometimes you hear things in the House and sometimes you don't.
"The acoustics in the house are appalling, at least unless they have been improved since I was there."
LISTEN ABOVE AS MARGARET WILSON SPEAKS TO TIM DOWER
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