MPs are baying for blood on the final day of Parliament, calling for a vote of no confidence in the Speaker after he issued an apology for making rape allegations about a parliamentary staffer.
"No," Trevor Mallard told Newshub when approached for an interview on Wednesday.
The Speaker is avoiding questions after apologising to a parliamentary staffer following accusations of defamation. Mallard told media last year it was his impression people have been raped at Parliament.
He said at the time Parliamentary Service had removed a threat to the safety of women.
MPs are now calling for the most powerful man in Parliament to lose his job.
"If the Speaker finds himself unable to explain his actions, then I guess the simple answer is he should no longer be the Speaker," ACT leader David Seymour told reporters.
There's been nearly $80,000 in court action, but we don't know how much in total taxpayers have paid for the case.
"We think he should be upfront about how much has been spent on that case - and if a payment has been made, how much that payment was," National's Shadow Leader of the House Chris Bishop told media.
Mallard has come to an agreement with the individual and issued a written apology, saying his understanding of rape at the time was incorrect.
This apology was delivered to media on Tuesday afternoon, in the midst of the report into the Christchurch terror attack and the day before Parliament rises for the year.
Opposition MPs are piling on the pressure.
"I do want to ask you were if you were intending to make a statement to Parliament about reports in the media that you have apologised to someone for comments made by you as Speaker last year," Bishop said in Parliament.
"The answer to that is no," Mallard responded.
"The House would like an explanation and I urge you to reconsider," Seymour added, asking Mallard to explain the seemingly cynical timing of his apology.
"I've released it as soon as was practical," Mallard said.
The final day of Parliament was also a day of reflection after a hellish year, and for the National Party a grueling election campaign.
"We lost over 400,000 votes. Yeah, ouch," National leader Judith Collins told attendees at Victoria University's post-election conference.
And a surprise claim from Collins - apparently she didn't even want the National leadership.
"My first reaction was 'no' and I think my second reaction was 'why?'" Collins said.
She's got a long summer break ahead to ponder 'what next'.
