Raising the issue of Labour’s Mallardy, Parliament’s malady has generated comment, including on other blogs:

Pete holds Trevor to account

Perhaps if David Shearer is to make a mark as Labour leader, he needs to convince Trevor Mallard to find gainful employment elsewhere. Then we might really see an end to “gotcha politics” from the Labour Party, and they could get back to holding the John Key-led government to account on the matters that REALLY matter to New Zealanders.

Crossing the line

There is a line between justifiable criticism and personal attacks. Those who cross it not only find themselves covered in muck, they can find that the public’s sense of fair play is aroused and that interest in the attack changes to sympathy for the attacked.

In the meantime, Mallard continues (on duck shooting opening weekend) to

Mallard renews call for Banks to stand down

Mr Mallard told TVNZ’s Q&A programme John Key should stand his minister down – at least for the time being.

“I had a leader who was an expert at doing this, she used to stand people down until the facts were sorted out, and then they either came back or they didn’t.”

From memory Helen Clark didn’t stand down every minister and Labour MP who someone made speculative accusations about.

If targets of all of Mallard’s attacks were stood down pending investigates would that end up leaving  leaving only the elephanatidae in the house?

I’ve pointed out before that David Shearer has spoken against the sort of “gotcha” politics that Mallard seems to be doing more than ever. But nothing is said about Mallard’s continued attacks.

I posted a link at The Standard (a leftish and Labour orientated blog), that has generated quite a bit of comment, most of which is standard abuse and criticism  – that doesn’t address the issues raised.

In Labour circles is Mallards ongoing attack tactics the elephanatidae in the room?