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The House headlines with summaries.
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Parliament asks for budget for its watchdogs
7 May 2024In the lead-up to the Budget, Parliament goes over the head of the Government, asking the Governor General to add in some cash for Parliament's three watch-dogs.
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'When old men plant trees': James Shaw's farewell
5 May 2024James Shaw's valedictory statement included thanks, humour, yarns, surprising allies, warnings and advice for MPs on avoiding the endless policy tug-of-war.
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Ukrainian MPs at Parliament
2 May 2024This week Parliament hosted both American and Ukrainian delegations. We chat with Galyna Mykhailiuk, who lead the visiting Ukrainian MPs.
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The view from the other side: When MPs submit on bills
1 May 2024MPs 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.
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Annual ten-hour long interrogation of government performance begins this week
30 Apr 2024The Annual Review Debate begins this week, when Parliament quizzes ministers about past performance. Kieran McAnulty explains...
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Fish and quiz: The many uses of written parliamentary questions
28 Apr 2024Over 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?
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How MPs cope with strains of the job
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?
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Member's Day surprises and more in short sitting block
14 Apr 2024It 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.
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The well-worn path between Auditor-General and Parliament
10 Apr 2024The work of the Auditor-General’s office features often in this week’s select committee hearings at Parliament, and for good reason.
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Getting stuck on attack: the slow road to positivity in government
9 Apr 2024The 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.
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How petitions get Parliament's attention
7 Apr 2024Petitions 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.
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How to MP: Tips from a ‘great parliamentarian’
31 Mar 2024As he departs from Parliament, Grant Roberson outlines the skills and requirements for being a successful MP, and what he would replace Question Time with.
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Getting specific or aiming wide: The tactics of Question Time
29 Mar 2024A look at the tactics of primary questions during Question Time, with help from Grant Robertson, Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee.
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Taking MPs at their word, or not
27 Mar 2024The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament.
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Parliament begins with money bills on a deadline
26 Mar 2024This week’s sitting of Parliament began with two finance bills that have deadlines attached.
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Making the cut: two of Parliament's thresholds
24 Mar 2024This 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.
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Auditor-General's youth mental health report before committee
21 Mar 2024The 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.
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Waiting weeks for urgent debates
20 Mar 2024Urgent 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.
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Touch and go: list MPs on the cusp
19 Mar 2024Due to vagaries of the MMP system, some list MPs must endure a period of waiting and uncertainty before they can enter Parliament.
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Parliament’s future out the back
17 Mar 2024A 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.
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Chris Bishop: On keeping a tidy parliament
10 Mar 2024New 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.
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Long sitting block wraps up, urgency used throughout
7 Mar 2024A rare four-week sitting block at Parliament has wound up, with the Government’s programme of moving legislation through under urgency used throughout.
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Directing traffic in a bear pit: presiding over Question Time
6 Mar 2024Taming 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.
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Parliament agencies face increased demands and tight funds
5 Mar 2024Due 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.
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