Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against Parliament's Speaker, after he was trespassed from the precinct.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters had already signalled his intent to seek a judicial review. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Peters was issued with a letter trespassing him from the precinct after he visited the 23-day anti-mandate occupation which took place earlier this year in Wellington.
Former National MP Matt King, Former ACT leader Rodney Hide, former Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox, and former NZ First list MP Darroch Ball also received notices.
Speaker Trevor Mallard later withdrew all of the notices issued to former MPs after he determined they were "no longer... regarded as being a risk to the safety and security of others at Parliament."
Peters had already signalled he would seek a judicial review of the decision.
Peters said at the end of May his lawyers contacted Mallard and told him they would pursue legal action if he did not provide "specific explanations, documents, and referenced authority with which he, in a free and democratic society, trespassed hundreds of New Zealand citizens from the Nation's Parliament".
Mallard's response failed to address the "seriousness of the matter", Peters said, so he had instructed his lawyers to issue proceedings.
RNZ has contacted Mallard for comment but has not recieved a response. He is currently undergoing a medical procedure.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced Mallard would leave politics in August after 35 years as an MP to take up a diplomatic posting in Europe.
Ardern said after the 2020 election, Mallard mentioned he wanted to "transition out of the role of Speaker over the course of this term to allow someone else the opportunity and to take on new challenges himself".
Peters said that was not the "full truth" and Mallard was leaving because of his threat of legal action.
Ardern rejected that and said she was not aware of the letter and it had "no bearing" on Mallard's decision.
