Questioning over reducing MP numbers and removing Māori seats turned to a discussion of Winston Peters' "undoubted courage" in Parliament today.
ACT Party leader David Seymour asked the Prime Minister about support in her Cabinet of his policy proposals that he discussed at the latest ACT Party conference.
He told his party’s annual conference he hopes to introduce legislation to reduce the size of Parliament.
In July, 2017, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said if his party was part of the next Government he wanted a referendum to decide if the Maori seats are needed and in September, 2016, Mr Peters said the numbers of MPs should be reduced to 100 to save tax payer money.
Mr Seymour asked the Jacinda Ardern today if she was "concerned that New Zealand First might vote for my smaller Government bill, given that they have supported the same concept in the past?"
"No," Ms Ardern answered.
The ACT leader the asked the Prime Minister if that was "because Winston Peters is a lion on the hustings and a lamb in Cabinet?"
Mr Peters then became involved, telling Speaker Trevor Mallard: "It's worse than that, sir. He's called into question my undoubted courage, and I do not need a member of the 'Oblivion Party' to be doing that."
Mr Mallard told Mr Peters "he needs to take a bit of care", and said his comment to Mr Seymour took the exchange to "one inappropriate comment each".
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