New Zealand speaker Trevor Mallard feeds colleague’s newborn baby during parliament debate

This is so heartwarming.

New Zealand speaker Trevor Mallard has gone viral after photos of him feeding a co-workers baby during a debate were shared across the internet. Mallard, who is a speaker in New Zealand's House of Representatives, posted an image on his Twitter page of him feeding MP Tamati Coffey's newborn son while in the speaker's chair.

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. pic.twitter.com/47ViKHsKkA

— Trevor Mallard (@SpeakerTrevor) August 21, 2019

Mallard posted two photos along with the caption;

"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."

This is not the first time that New Zealand has made headlines for its progressive stance on children in the workplace after its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern brought her baby to work in New Zealand and to the Nelson Mandela peace summit. Mallard received many comments praising his actions;

"Good on you sir. This is a wonderful pic and an amazing way to show the human side of politics."

Father of the newborn and MP for Waiariki Tāmati Coffey also shared photos and news reports of the sweet moment along with photos of himself with his baby at work.

Lovely to have a baby in the House, and what a beautiful one @tamaticoffey pic.twitter.com/EP6iP9eQES

— Gareth Hughes (@GarethMP) August 21, 2019

Tāmati Coffey announced he was gay in 2009 during an interview and he and his partner Tim Smith wed in a civil union in 2011. Tāmati and Tim's son Tūtānekai Smith-Coffey was born via a surrogate last month. Image via Trevor Mallard