RNZ: The House

Parliament's expert on its rules explains privilege, the inquiry process, and the limited options for punishment in the wake of MBIE officials being found guilty of a contempt this week.*RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Outgoing Labour MP and former Deputy Speaker Greg O'Connor has something of a reputation around Parliament for his poetry. It would have come as no surprise then that he gave his valedictory entirely in rhyming verse. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In a vividly honest farewell speech, retiring MP Paulo Garcia spoke of wonderment, joy and gratitude, but also of his own experience of hatred and violence and invisibility. *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As the remaining weeks of the 54th Parliament tick over, MPs who have decided to step back from politics have their chance to farewell their colleagues and Parliament as an institution in the form of a valedictory statement.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As the election nears, politics can get frantic and irrational. By contrast much of Parliament's long week of urgency was a model of calm, with careful, unemotive discussion of RMA law.*RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

After about 12 years, National's Shane Reti farewelled Parliament this week, reflecting on some of his achievements in the Health portfolio, and lamenting some of the unfinished business he couldn't quite get toGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Two MPs gave valedictory statements to their colleagues on Wednesday, but illness forced one of them to say haere rā via a video link. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With only four weeks of Parliament to go before it breaks for the election, the government is snatching as much time as it can to try to complete its legislative agenda. Here's the plan.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House sits down with Duncan Webb for an exit interview as the former Minister and Labour Party whip calls time on his parliamentary career. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week the minister of Health was forced into a grudging admission that threatens the Government's narrative of success in Health. We look at the admission and the raw data on nurse numbers.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Government asked by AGenDA to stop insurance discrimination on the basis of DNA, two years after it passed an as-yet unused law enabling that. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The urgent debate on Chris Penk's demotion was about a fairly specific topic, the Prime Minister's decision to remove one of his ministers from Cabinet. In practice, it was a rather more eclectic collection of reckonings from around the House. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

[s] When criticism can get you sacked, one minister's job is to disagree with impunity. Meet the Cabinet's oddest role, held by the “most sued man in New Zealand”.RNZ's The House, providing insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Louis heads along to a select committee briefing on Bird Flu, while Phil looks at the hodgepodge of petitions that came up in a special debate this week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Three stories on questions and "answers", including Peters' doppelgänger defence, the Speaker's example on Written Questions, and the MBIE inquiry.RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Find our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It is hard to pin down a minister in Question Time, when each has a doppelgänger ready to deflect the blame or shoulder the responsibility. Winston Peters this week said more or less 'you should ask the other Winston, here's not here right now'. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The saga over a cancelled $35 million government project continued this week, with Labour MP Phil Twyford appearing before the committee. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

All the most overdue responses to Written Questions are addressed to the MP responsible for ensuring prompt answers, and for enabling a responsible government.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The primary production committee heard from DOC and MPI this week during a briefing on bird flu. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

MPs held a Special Debate on issues raised by Petitions this Parliament. There have been 685 petitions so far on, so that's a wide remit. The debate ranged from genocide to a specific road fence. The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Find our articles and podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week, Parliament had 29 more MPs than usual. Not because of an early election, but because 29 female parliamentarians from across the Pacific were in Wellington for wānanga focused on leadership, decision-making and driving change across the region. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House looks at what business MPs had waiting for them upon their return to Parliament this week.  Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The first members day in nearly two months provided a nice vignette into the value of select committee public consultationGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

After a two week break, MPs return to a backlog of business, old arguments and new debates; but with fresh energy. RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament's justice committee spent most of the sitting break listening to submissions from the public on the move on orders legislationGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With a slew of policy announcements, there also comes fresh calls for a Parliamentary Budget Office. But what should the remit of such an institution be? The House chats to Economist Dr Eric Crampton about the proposal.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Louise Upston gives her take on her new part-time full-time job: managing the Government's entire legislative programme as Leader of the House.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

We ask whether ministers can evade questions by claiming operational independence, and note some key bills from a huge week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As Parliament stretches into the weekend in a debating marathon, we note four bills being completed and four others just beginning their legislative journey. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With ten third readings during Parliament's urgency week, a suite of bills are now on the cusp of becoming law, pending the largely ceremonial box-tick of Royal Assent.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Can a minister, asked how his agency achieves its targets, use the 'not my circus, not my monkey' tactic? Tama Potaka did. What are the rules?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Before Parliament got down into the trenches for urgency, it debated a declaration from the Supreme Court that particular legislation was inconsistent with NZBORAGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Allegations that officials kept ministers and MPs in the dark, and MPs as bad examples. Plus, the Speaker quashes Question Time electioneering.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Immigration officials are under investigation for allegedly misleading a Parliament committee. Are MPs bad role models? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Remember the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan? Well this week, Parliament's Health Select Committee has been hearing oral submissions on a member's bill that some have dubbed the "Good Samaritan Bill". Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

MPs as well as ministers may have been kept in the dark over immigration IT project. One omission gets more outrage, but both are equally bad. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House reviews the last estimates scrutiny week for the 54th ParliamentGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As one of the few departments that received a generous funding boost in the recent budget, Minister for Defence Chris Penk had to convince MPs this week that it deserved that cash. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Scrutiny of ministers for ACC and Worksafe raises a disconnect between work safety law change and its cost. No modelling, no discussion, no budget, no problem.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Arts, Culture and Heritage (& broadcasting) scrutiny has a surprising Return on Investment for arts funding, and an interesting take on post-BSA journalism.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

June's scrutiny week will be the last chance select committees get to do detailed financial scrutiny in the current 54th Parliament, to learn more The House chats to David Wilson and James Picker. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On any given sitting day, the Parliamentary precinct hums with activity, teeming with MPs, journalists, staffers, officials, and also weaving their way through the hallways of democracy: school students.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details