I think it's funny when there is a set of rules for one group and another group believe they do not apply to them due to sex religion ethnic or culture and in this case right to protest. There is a set of rules for a work place that "All" must follow regardless the same with schools embassys court houses and sports clubs. I have been to the RITZ Hotel in London and the rules are for men must be in suit with dinner jacket and tie at all times women must be in suitable dress etire which in that case if a women were to wear a rugby jersey into the Ritz Hotel they would be asked to take it off that has nothing to do with being sexist or backwards it is just the rules of the hotel. I find it funny how some politicians complain how they are being miss-treated when they are on 160k plus sallary a year due to the fact the debate chambers is not a place of individual protest to boost your own personal ego. Obey the rules of the house that is what we are paying you to do Miss Curran leave your own problems out of the work the country has more to worry about than a God damm South Island rugby team changing team jerseys. In the words of my grandfather "Dear O Dear"

AnonFROMlebanon #252 01:31 pm Jun 08 2011

Yes, there are far more important issues than someone wearing a Rugby jersey. Also, there are far more important issues than some private business changing its workers uniform. So rather than protest the change in rugby jersey, perhaps she should have just turned up in her required dress standard and tried to address those real issues?

Just in case it has escaped people's attention (and based on the comments it sure as hell has) she was not wearing the jersey because it was a fashion choice.

It was a deliberate protest. Before people criticise her for her dress standards, have a wee think about the purpose of wearing it.

And seriously - if you want to raise dress standards, have a look at how slovenly some of our "buttoned-up" MPs dress. In very recent years, Murray McCully has been rightly chastised in the public arena for dressing like a slob.

If it is a matter of dress standards, then apply a common dress standard across the board.

@Dave #228: You seriously do not want to go there. The "prayer" has no place in Parliament. If I was required to take part in a prayer as part of my work, my first call would be to the Human Rights Commission for infringing my religious (or lack thereof) freedom.

@Ed, Chch: "Typical Kiwi - just ignore the rules and be surprised when it backfires." Way to go - insult the country you live in.

In Britain, if a barrister appears in court improperly dressed, the judge will say "I cannot see you, Mr (insert name)" and treat the barrister as if he is henceforth invisible.

Perhaps the same approach would work on MP's - although since Labour MP's never have anything useful to say, just doing away with them all together would be better.

It's not about someone standing up for rights. It's about dress code and rules. How about I turn up at one of here political meeting in a thong and nothing else, would I be ejected?

I dare someone in Dunedin to test Clare Curran in this regard. Prove she a hypocrite.

Does this stick-in-the-mud conservative Speaker have no wit or sense of humor, whatsoever, even though there is ample precedent for similar intimations ?

She was only indirectly highlighting an issue which is not easily debated, but which was controversial amongst a very large proportion of her constituency.

Typical Kiwi - just ignore the rules and be surprised when it backfires.

She should never have even been elected if she has no decorum and sense of place - it is Parliament, not a bloomin sausage sizzle.

Our country has far more problems to worry about than a woman in a rugby jersey. I reckon all those whinging ball tuggers in parliament need to STFU, sit down, harden up and address the more serious issues our country is faced with... like how to prevent the All Blacks from choking at the World Cup this year.. There I said it.

Oh don't go playing the sexist card! You were thrown out for not keeping to the standard of the dress code of business attire, not because you were being picked on as a woman. What an embarrassment to the rest of us you are.

And how about worrying about some serious issues than the colour of a freakin rugby jersey for crying out loud.

You and your lot really have lost all clues.

Alex #246 "Can't help it that the National government are a bunch of spoil sports."

Get a clue!!! it has nothign to do with National it was the Speaker of the House!