'Lovely': New Zealand parliament speaker holds MP’s baby during debate

'Normally the Speaker's chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me,' politician says

New Zealand speaker of the house Trevor Mallard holding the baby (BBC)

The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament, Trevor Mallard, has followed in the footsteps of politicians around the world by babysitting while presiding over a political debate.

Labour MP Tāmati Coffey attended parliament for the first time since his paternity leave with baby Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey, in tow.

During the session, the representative for Waiariki handed over babysitting duties to father-of-three Trevor Mallard, who fed the little boy from the speaker’s seat.

Mr Mallard tweeted: "Normally the Speaker's chair is only used by Presiding Officers but today a VIP took the chair with me. Congratulations @tamaticoffey and Tim on the newest member of your family’.

Mr Coffey and his partner, Tim Smith, conceived via a surrogate, with MrCoffey tweeting after the birth that he and Mr Smith were "overwhelmed at the miracle of life". Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey is the biological son of Mr Smith.

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes later shared a picture of Mr Coffey holding his baby in parliament, with the caption: "Lovely to have a baby in the House, and what a beautiful one @tamaticoffey."

In the House of Representatives, the baby’s appearance seemed to garner cross-party support, with Mr Coffey telling Newshub that he felt "really supported by my colleagues from across the House".

Other politicians have made headlines for bringing babies to parliament, including Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, who brought her baby to a debate in 2018, and Australian senator Larissa Waters who breastfed her baby in parliament in 2017.

Last September, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden was the first woman to bring her baby to a debate at New York’s United Nations assembly hall.