The House sits down with retiring MP Trevor Mallard for an insider's view of the tactics and strategy of Parliament, of what has changed, and what still should.

A few weeks ago, before Trevor Mallard finally hung up his black Speaker's robe and packed up his wood-panelled office, he sat down with The House to chat through 38 years in politics.

This is the second of two articles from that interview, each with related audio (see the link below).

In the first piece we focused on history. This article is more about the tactics and rules of Parliament, and its changes.

A grey old place gets some colour

When Trevor Mallard entered Parliament in 1984 there had only been 20 female MPs - ever, and only a few at a time. The place was reigning men, but not in a good way. Helen Clark has described the boys club it was.

It was also overwhelmingly white. There were usually just four Māori MPs (for the four Māori seats), and there had never been a Pasifika or Asian MP. And of course no-one was openly gay, or anything else rainbow.

Parliament now is about as different as it could be demographically. 50.4 percent female, with many Māori, Pasifika and Asian Kiwis, and with a solid rainbow caucus as well. A lot of that change is a result of MMP, but culture change inside the institution has also enabled difference.

"We are meant to be a House of Representatives," says Trevor Mallard. "To represent community you've actually got to look like those communities. And I just think the quality of discussions has improved so much. ...having a variety of backgrounds, has meant that a lot of the discussions are much better informed. People bring different things to the discussion from their experience."

One of his proudest achievements has been improving the lot of MPs with families.

"I don't know many males of my generation who were MPs who would categorise themselves as being good parents. ...just because you were much more absent. And this place was not welcoming for the kids."

Now Parliament has its own daycare centre. And, Mallard points out, "three family rooms through the complex, a lot more flexibility for carers around the place, much better movement for partners and kids. Symbolic stuff like kids being able to come into the House and to feed."

And now both male and female MPs get "a significant period of parental leave, if they need it, if they want it, at the beginning. That stuff has really shifted in the last five years. And I think that's important and I think it's now irreversible."

Trevor Mallard makes that "irreversible" comment with a big grin. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details