He's spoken out against gays, joked about his left testicle, and even stuck up for the Exclusive Brethren - but now Tauranga's National MP Bob Clarkson has voiced his decision not to stand for re-election.
Explaining he was "right out of his comfort zone" in Parliament and is "sick of all the wastefulness", Clarkson announced this morning he has decided not to stand again, after just one term in the seat he took from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
Clarkson's 'straight-talking' style got him elected, but his mouthing off soon courted controversy. In 2006 Clarkson let loose with a vitriolic attack on gays, saying they are not normal, that there are too many in Parliament, and described gay parades as "distasteful as picking your nose in public".
"I don't mind gays," he told TV3's John Campbell, but he took exception to "gays pushing their barrow by having a gay parade… they can do what they like in their own home.” Referring to what he called 'gay parades', he said, "If people are offended you must be doing something wrong."
The TV3 interview was just one in a series of public outbursts where he suggested gays are not "normal" and gay parades are akin to "picking your nose in public."
He has also lampooned the Labour Party for having gay MPs, saying there were "more of those than normal, er, average ones."
However, Clarkson's most famous outburst was in 2005, when he was overheard remarking loudly: "I bet my left testicle the All Blacks would win".
He also stuck up for the reclusive anti-gay Exclusive Brethren at a time when National were keen to distance themselves from the cult. "I've found them to be fair-minded, law abiding and hard working. Their bills come in correctly and they pay tax. I'd trust a Brethren before I trusted a Labour Party member," he remarked.
National leader John Key thanked Clarkson today for his contribution as an MP, but admitted he knew the controversial character never felt at home in Parliament.