Former Speaker of the House and now ambassador to Ireland Trevor Mallard is facing a High Court lawsuit from a teenage girl who was 11 during the 2022 anti-mandate protest at Parliament.
Despite explicit police warnings that blasting loud music and turning on sprinklers would inflame tensions, Mallard proceeded with the tactics in an attempt to disperse protesters.
The girl, who has applied for name suppression, claims songs like “Let It Go” and “Baby Shark” – which she previously liked – were weaponised against her, causing psychological harm. She is seeking $40,000 in damages for breaches of her rights. Internal police records show top officers, including then-Commissioner Andrew Coster and current Commissioner Richard Chambers, urged Mallard not to proceed, fearing the actions would escalate the situation and harm police strategy.
The case is part of a broader legal push by lawyer Tudor Clee, who is challenging state responses during the pandemic.
Evidence obtained by legacy media under the Official Information Act shows Mallard disregarded repeated police objections and acted on his own authority as Speaker, despite warnings about damage, public perception, and the potential creation of a health hazard.
The lawsuit targets the Speaker’s office, not Mallard personally, with Parliamentary Services confirming costs will be covered from its budget.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
The girl, who has applied for name suppression, claims songs like “Let It Go” and “Baby Shark” – which she previously liked – were weaponised against her, causing psychological harm. She is seeking $40,000 in damages for breaches of her rights. Internal police records show top officers, including then-Commissioner Andrew Coster and current Commissioner Richard Chambers, urged Mallard not to proceed, fearing the actions would escalate the situation and harm police strategy.
The case is part of a broader legal push by lawyer Tudor Clee, who is challenging state responses during the pandemic.
Evidence obtained by legacy media under the Official Information Act shows Mallard disregarded repeated police objections and acted on his own authority as Speaker, despite warnings about damage, public perception, and the potential creation of a health hazard.
The lawsuit targets the Speaker’s office, not Mallard personally, with Parliamentary Services confirming costs will be covered from its budget.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
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