National Party speaks to press about Mallard accusation

The controversy over rape allegations made by the Speaker and his subsequent apology exploded again in Parliament last night. Using the legal immunity of Parliamentary privilege, Trevor Mallard told the House the man he wrongly accused of being a rapist in 2019 did carry out a serious sexual assualt. He was mounting a defence of his actions over the case he settled last year, costing taxpayers more than $330,000. National's Judith Collins and Chris Bishop held a news conference at Parliament on Tuesday night, calling Trevor Mallard a disgrace of a speaker, and that his tenure will be looked back on with shame.