Trevor Mallard will leave Parliament in August after more than three decades, leaving behind a colourful and contentious legacy.
Ever since he entered Parliament in 1984, Mallard has always danced to his own tune.
In 2009, he was lucky to survive a scuffle with fellow MP Tau Henare. He pleaded guilty in court and was fined $500 for punching.
"Clearly I shouldn't have been involved in the fight to start with," he said.
He was also caught red-handed for scalping Rugby World Cup tickets to students.
"It's clear I made a mistake. I have cocked up. It would have been better to do things in a different way."
Mallard held 13 different ministerial portfolios and didn't mind mixing it in the House.
A self-confessed rugby nut, when New Zealand missed out on hosting the 2003 World Cup he offered blunt comments about international rugby bosses as revenge.
"They involve Heinekens in particularly uncomfortable places."
In one moment, possibly inspired by Jurassic Park, he wanted to bring Moa back to the Wainuiomata Hills as part of the 2014 election campaign.
"I'd like ones which I could pat on the head," Mallard said.
"People are going to say you've lost the plot," TV3 told Mallard at the time.
"Are they? Who?" he replied.
They quickly lined up.
"Colonel Mallard and his Hutt-fried moa," National's Gerry Brownlee said in 2014, with Judith Collins agreeing he was "really out in the loopy territory".
As Speaker he was just as controversial. Last year, he falsely accused a Parliament staffer of rape and taxpayers were forced to fork out $333,000 for the legal action.
Then earlier this year, he had to do a U-turn on banning Winston Peters from Parliamentary grounds for visiting the anti-mandate protest.
"This is dictatorial and demonstrates that some people think they have power they haven't got," Peters, the former Deputy Prime Minister, said.
And when it suited he could also be infamously media-shy.
After five years as Speaker, he's off to Europe with a diplomatic posting.
"I wouldn't make any assumptions about what that is until we make final announcements, but I consider it in keeping with what Trevor has to offer New Zealand," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
The Father of the House is about to sign off in style.
