This week Parliament hosted both American and Ukrainian delegations. We chat with Galyna Mykhailiuk, who lead the visiting Ukrainian MPs. It's always news when the Prime Minister heads overseas, or a foreign leader arrives here. But prime ministers are comparative home-bodies. It's much more common for other ministers to travel. Collectively, even backbench MPs travel more than Prime Ministers. The backbenchers travel for many reasons, but most equate to either visiting other Parliaments or meet...
May 02, 2024•6 min•Ep. 520
MPs listen to hundreds of Select Committee submissions. But occasionally, like Camilla Belich today, they get to sit on the other side of the table themselves. MPs listen to hundreds, even thousands of submissions from the public on bills and petitions, even on Parliament's own rules. It would not be surprising if backbench MPs' dreams featured an endless parade of proffered opinions. Very occasionally a backbench MP finds themselves on the other side of the table, getting to bend the ears of th...
May 01, 2024•5 min•Ep. 519
The Annual Review Debate begins this week, when Parliament quizzes ministers about past performance. Kieran McAnulty explains... One of Parliament's big piece debates begins this week. The Annual Review Debate happens every year as the penultimate stage of a long review of prior government spending and performance (for the financial year ended almost a year previously). It will stretch across 10 hours and give the opposition a chance to question a line -up of government ministers about their por...
Apr 30, 2024•5 min•Ep. 518
Over the last six years, parliament's clerks have had to vet about 40,000 written questions each year. So how are written questions used and what are the democratic benefits? Over the last six years, Parliament's clerks have had to vet about 40,000 written questions each year. A written question - from an opposition MP to a minister - is a commonly used tool in Parliament, but not well-known outside political circles. They are not as familiar to the public as the more theatrical and confrontatio...
Apr 27, 2024•14 min•Ep. 517
The latest from the House Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Apr 20, 2024•15 min•Ep. 516
MPs have some of the highest pressure jobs in New Zealand, and the stressors aren't always what you might think. So does anyone help them carry the load, and how do they personally cope? We all know that Members of Parliament have a job that comes with a great deal of pressure. Mentally, it can be tough going, and sometimes this results in MPs making mistakes that can unravel not just their career but the work they have done along the way too. In this piece, The House speaks to several experienc...
Apr 20, 2024•17 min•Ep. 515
It was a sitting block of just one week but it had its share of surprises, routine stuff and signs of a changing culture around scrutiny at committee level. Even in a sitting block of only one week a lot goes on in Parliament, this one just finished having its share of surprises, routine stuff and signs of a changing culture around scrutiny at committee level. So much lawmaking has happened in a short time this year at Parliament that it's possible for us to forget some of the huge amount of leg...
Apr 13, 2024•15 min•Ep. 514
Members Day this week had it all: surprise votes, big and niche issues, success and failure. A bill from a retiring MP led to an environmental rights debate which included gaping philosophical divides and a parting shot. Some of the Parliament's most interesting and unexpected debates occur on Members' Days - the alternate Wednesdays when the House debates bills put forward by backbenchers, rather than government ministers. Members Bills range widely, originating from across the parties, and bri...
Apr 11, 2024•5 min•Ep. 513
The work of the Auditor-General's office features often in this week's select committee hearings at Parliament, and for good reason. Among the list of submitters and subjects for this week's select committee hearings at Parliament, the Auditor-General's office features often. The Auditor-General is one of the three Officers of Parliament, entities who have a particular job to hold the government to account. As this week's committee action shows, the Auditor-General has a busy working relationshi...
Apr 10, 2024•6 min•Ep. 512
The Speaker has begun steering ministerial answers away from outright attacks on the previous government, and towards answers. The road to positivity for new governments is long and difficult. When the government changes from one party to another, you might expect that party's refrain would also switch, that the once-opposition, now-government MPs would suddenly go positive - singing of new happy times. Equally, you'd think was-government, now-opposition MPs would flip into dour mode. But neithe...
Apr 10, 2024•5 min•Ep. 511
Petitions to Parliament don't always result in a change to law or policy as intended, but they can be an effective way of the public getting a message to those in power. A petition can be an effective way for the public to get the attention of Parliament, and it doesn't necessarily need lots of signatures. It's not often that a petition to Parliament results in a law change, but changes can occur as a result of MPs considering a petition and digesting submissions on the topic. It's a journey tha...
Apr 06, 2024•20 min•Ep. 510
As he departs from Parliament, Grant Roberson outlines the skills and requirements for being a successful MP, and what he would replace Question Time with. One of Parliament's natural orators has left the building after nearly 16 years as an MP. A lot of Parliamentary experience and skill has departed with him. So RNZ's parliament show, The House, made an attempt to catch some tips. On his final day at Parliament, as his office was about to be packed away, Robertson sat with me in Labour's caucu...
Mar 30, 2024•15 min•Ep. 509
A look at the tactics of primary questions during Question Time, with help from Grant Robertson, Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee. Question Time is one of the most public (though probably not most effective), ways that Parliament keeps an eye on the actions of its chosen executive. But watching them try can be both confusing and frustrating as questions are repeated, evaded, avoided and ruled outside the rules. Questioners tactics vary wildly, but never so much as whether to start wide, or go i...
Mar 29, 2024•6 min•Ep. 508
The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. One of the foundational principles of Parliament is that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word. However, the word of MPs has been challenged multiple times this week in the House, and Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee used a flexible approach when issue was raised about it. During an exchange in Question Time the Opposition's...
Mar 27, 2024•6 min•Ep. 507
This week's sitting of Parliament began with two finance bills that have deadlines attached. Parliament's sitting calendar sometimes looks a little random, but the calendar can be forced into odd shapes by legislative deadlines. This week's sitting began with two bills with such deadlines attached. First up was the second reading of the bill that contains the final tally of government spending from the financial year that ended eight months ago (July 2023). The Appropriation (2022/23 Confirmatio...
Mar 26, 2024•5 min•Ep. 506
This weekly edition looks at thresholds: regarding what gets the nod for Urgent Debates, and also what it's like being a List MP on the cusp of Parliament. In this weekly edition of The House, we look at thresholds, or how things make or don't make the cut, in two aspects of the Parliament system. Urgent debates Urgent debates are much requested by MPs of the Speaker, but seldom approved. An unsuccessful ruling this week on a request by Labour for an Urgent Debate on disability funding, offered ...
Mar 23, 2024•13 min•Ep. 505
The Health Select Committee has been digesting the Auditor-General's report on how well public organisations are working to meet the mental health needs of young people. Parliament's health select committee has been digesting the auditor-general's report on how well public organisations are working together to meet the mental health needs of young New Zealanders. The auditor-general's work includes inquiring into how public organisations are operating, and it also watches how public money is spe...
Mar 21, 2024•4 min•Ep. 504
Urgent Debates are granted or denied by Speakers. Most are denied. This week a Speaker's ruling moved the goal posts for that allowance, a lot. If you're familiar with stories from The House you'll know that we regularly mention that, against all appearances, governments in New Zealand are subordinate to parliaments. You might even say we bang on about it. To recap: Parliament has a variety of jobs. It provides an executive, it passes laws, permits and approves revenue and spending, and generall...
Mar 20, 2024•5 min•Ep. 503
Due to vagaries of the MMP system, some list MPs must endure a period of waiting and uncertainty before they can enter Parliament. Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a List MP sitting and waiting on the cusp of your party's vote result in a fluid post-election configuration? It can be touch and go. Among the MPs elected to Parliament after October's general election, there are a few list MPs who first endured a period of waiting and uncertainty due to the vagaries of the MMP system. On ...
Mar 19, 2024•7 min•Ep. 502
A big new wooden superstructure is about to be built out the back of Parliament House, and is planned to be ready to fit dozens of MPs by the next election. Parliament is about to expand, and it's not the number of MPs potentially rising - although that is something that the plan to expand is taking into account. A big new wooden superstructure is about to be built out the back of the Parliament precinct, and it is projected to be ready to fit dozens of MPs by the 2026 election. The building's c...
Mar 16, 2024•12 min•Ep. 501
New goverment, new parliament, new Leader of the House. Chris Bishop is now the Minister responsible for shepherding the Government's legislative agenda. He explains how. Hutt South MP Chris Bishop is now the National Party's third ranking minister and Leader of the House. Before becoming an MP he was a humble political advisor in the ministerial office of Gerry Brownlee. At that time, among other roles, Brownlee was Leader of the House. Bishop's job was to help manage that. What 'that' is we'll...
Mar 09, 2024•15 min•Ep. 500
A rare four-week sitting block at Parliament has wound up, with the Government's programme of moving legislation through under urgency used throughout. Today MPs finished the last week of a rare four-week sitting block at Parliament, during which the government's programme of moving legislation through under urgency continued at breakneck pace. Here's a little summary of what went down this week: The Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill was read a first time. The previo...
Mar 07, 2024•5 min•Ep. 499
Taming Question Time is not easy but this week the Speaker has attempted to reign in the use of Points of Order to make out of order points. MPs' jobs are tough. But probably the toughest regular hour for any MP is presiding over all the other MPs during a rambunctious Question Time. It's akin to a relieving teacher managing a class of manic, grandstanding, fourth-formers on a wet, windy Friday afternoon when everyone just wants to be somewhere else. Gerry Brownlee has been settling into the rol...
Mar 06, 2024•5 min•Ep. 498
Due to the increasing demands on the work of the Office of the Clerk in an environment of funding constraints, the efficiency of some key Parliament functions could suffer. A select committee has heard that due to the increasing demands on the work of the Office of the Clerk in an environment of funding constraints, the efficiency of some key Parliament functions could suffer. The bodies that run Parliament have effectively been crying poor for years, but are without a minister in cabinet to arg...
Mar 05, 2024•5 min•Ep. 497
The new Parliament has spent most of its existence under urgency. What is that, and why use it? New Zealand's 54th Parliament first met in December last year. Since its first (largely ceremonial) opening week Parliament has sat on 16 days. On 11 of those days 'urgency' has replaced the usual rules. The five days when urgency wasn't accorded included four Thursdays (which are short days), and one Members' Wednesday. There has been time for just one full Members' Day so far in seven weeks (plus a ...
Mar 02, 2024•14 min•Ep. 496
The new Parliament has spent much of its time so far, debating under urgency. What is that, and why has it? The 54th Parliament isn't quite three months old yet, but has already employed unusual levels of parliamentary urgency. On The House we look at what that means, as well as both practical and tactical reasons a government might opt to speed things up. The audio from this edition of The House is available via the link below. The written article for this story will be published with the Sunda...
Feb 29, 2024•7 min•Ep. 495
This morning's debates in the chamber provided multiple examples of how difficult it can be as a presiding officer when contentious bills are going through under urgency. This morning's action in the chamber provided multiple examples of how difficult it can be as a presiding officer when contentious bills are going through Parliament under urgency. One of the big challenges is refereeing debate when it gets fiery, particularly among Opposition MPs who are frustrated and angry that laws they pas...
Feb 28, 2024•7 min•Ep. 494
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee has been holding its annual review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, has told a select committee that New Zealand's diplomatic presence overseas must grow, despite government plans to reduce spending in his ministry. The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee has been undertaking its annual review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), with the minister ...
Feb 27, 2024•5 min•Ep. 493
Fa'anānā Efeso Collins has been fondly remembered and much praised by his colleagues. Here is his own message; the maiden speech he gave a week ago. Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Mai i ngā hau o Ōtāhuhu-nui-a-Rangi, o Maungarei, o Motukaroa; mai i ngā awa o Hikuwaru, o Tāmaki e rere ki te Waitematā, kei te Mānukanuka-o-Hoturoa, ko Kaiwhare, ko Taramainuku kua tau, kua tau ki ngā whenua o Ngāti Toa Rangatira, o Taranaki Whānui ki Te Ūpoko o Te Ika. Tēnā anō tatou. It is an indescribable feeling to stand ...
Feb 24, 2024•15 min•Ep. 492
Parliament has paused out of respect for the Green Party MP Efeso Collins who died unexpectedly in Auckland this morning. It's been a sad day at Parliament with news of the sudden death of Green Party MP Fa'anānā Efeso Collins in Auckland this morning, barely a week after he gave his maiden speech as a Member of Parliament. Raised in South Auckland, this New Zealand-born Samoan spent three terms on the Auckland Council serving as chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board, and councillor for the ...
Feb 21, 2024•5 min•Ep. 491
