A former Speaker of the House has been worried Parliament's standards have been slipping over the past few years. 

It comes as the Privileges Committee report on Te Pati Māori's behaviour during last year's Treaty Principles Bill vote, will be debated and voted on this afternoon. 

It proposes a 21-day suspension for the party's leaders, and a seven-day suspension for MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. 

Former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith told Mike Hosking a decision to close the public gallery is wise. 

He says this will be a test for Speaker Gerry Brownlee because his judgement will be critical. 

Smith says it’s up to him to make sure this debate, which will be watched by many, shows Parliament to be a better place than it’s been in the last couple of weeks. 

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