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The House headlines with summaries.
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Sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui: Parliament reacts
16 Oct 2024The House: Rather than wait for the Opposition to apply for an urgent debate, the government decided to get in first and on Tuesday, gave a Ministerial Statement on the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui. Audio
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Speaker's little helpers: Parliament's other presiding officers
13 Oct 2024The House: You don't argue with the ref in sports - or the Speaker at Parliament. It's not just Gerry Brownlee, though - four other people help to carry the load.
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In pictures: How Parliament's questions are vetted
6 Oct 2024The House - Attend the session where MPs' oral questions to the government are vetted and authenticated by Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Audio
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Parliament gets urgent on sentencing, mining, and charter schools
29 Sep 2024Parliament spent much of the week debating under urgency. Here's what they were working on. Audio
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Ensuring fair funding for Parliament and scrutiny
27 Sep 2024The House - A new bill would remove governments' power to determine funding levels for Parliament, the body that scrutinises its performance. Audio
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'Arcane but really important': Parliament Bill gets special committee
25 Sep 2024After years of suggestions for constitutional reform, the Parliament Bill has been introduced. Audio
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Opposition forcing long debates on brief committees
22 Sep 2024The House - The opposition has rediscovered a long-disused tactic, and recently used it to protest the government curtailing the time spent considering legislation in select committees. Audio
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Wā Pātai: Māori language week at Parliament
20 Sep 2024The House - Parliament was buzzing with te reo this week - but how common is this, really? Audio
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Budget 2024: Light at the end of the tunnel
18 Sep 2024The House - The government's maiden Budget is finally reaching the end of its long approval process, and it's going to be just in time. Audio
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What it's like to be leader of the opposition
15 Sep 2024One vestige of the pre-MMP era is the term 'leader of the opposition' - but why does the term still exist, and what does the leader do? Audio
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The House: What is the government really saying about guns?
12 Sep 2024Even when ministers are trying not to answer questions, they frequently give away a lot of information, writes Phil Smith for The House. Audio
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Parliament honours Kiingi Tuheitia
11 Sep 2024The House - Parliament met briefly today, and only to offer respects to the late Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Audio
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In pictures: Young delegates take over the House
8 Sep 2024A Queenslander, a Falkland Islander and a Gibraltarian walk into a debating chamber. It's no joke - just the reality at Parliament this week Audio
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Rising costs and rising seas: Parliament’s climate adaptation inquiry
The Climate Change Commission told members this week that climate adaptation is the “most difficult challenge this country faces over the next century.”
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Petitioner reveals NZ First's original fast track bill, with hidden projects
30 Aug 2024Petitions often touch on very human stories, or on tricky philosophical issues. This week, one threw explosive new information into an already contentious debate.
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Stop the questions: a coach steps in to end the fight
27 Aug 2024Parliament's Question Time is a slow-moving boxing match with many rounds. This week one boxer's second stepped into the ring to help. They didn't throw in the towel, but they did try to stop the…
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From Beehive to Bluegrass: Kiwi MPs head stateside
25 Aug 2024The House hears from two MPs, usually foes, who have spent a week together stateside, like a political odd couple.
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How not to answer a question, and other lessons from Parliament
24 Aug 2024A dispute during Question Time this week was packed with lessons on asking questions in Parliament, and especially how not to answer them.
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Water, coastlines, and corrections: Parliament’s committee stage this week
21 Aug 2024It's not uncommon for a Committee of the Whole House to need several sittings to consider a bill. With three government bills under consideration by the Committee this week, most of Parliament's…
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Kumbayah, now take that!
The House began a new sitting block sharing a little love over the Paris Olympics results, but the sudden outbreak of amity didn't last.
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Being Māori at Parliament
18 Aug 2024New Zealand’s Parliament House is a strikingly colonial edifice. So how does it feel to be Māori in that space?
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Taking their word for it: Lying and MPs
11 Aug 2024Few people think MPs never lie, so why are they seldom punished? We investigate Parliament’s rules on mistakes, fibs, and perfidious calumny.
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Water cooler chat: Parliament’s General Debate
8 Aug 2024From birthday messages, to lamenting New Zealand cultural icons, the General Debate enables MPs to climb onto the soapbox and yarn about whatever's on their mind.
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Let your vocal chords do the walking
7 Aug 2024The censure of an MP this week came with a message about how to handle provocation - keep it vocal.
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