The Profile

Trevor Mallard: NZ’s new man in Ireland is a lightning rod for controversy

New Zealand’s latest ambassador to Ireland was once described as ‘a mixture of energy and thuggery’. But there’s rather more to him than the many controversies in which he’s been embroiled

Trevor Mallard: was a cabinet minister across four briefs before becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives. Illustration: Peter Hanan

In brief:

Name: Trevor Mallard, New Zealand ambassador to Ireland

Age: 68

Appearance: weathered face, often sporting a quite serious look

Newsworthiness: the long-serving politician who divides opinions in New Zealand is now its new ambassador to Ireland

In depth:

When Trevor Mallard announced his resignation last month as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives to become the country’s ambassador to Ireland, Chris Bishop, his longtime political adversary, released a statement marking his ...