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Parliament's final sitting day an insight into party factions
On Parliament's last day of the year, there was a rare glimpse of the factions within the major parties. Audio
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Labour moves Speaker from the 'nice' to 'naughty' list
20 Dec 2024Last week's fights with the Speaker over the Fast Track schedule may have changed the tone in Parliament. Audio
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Parliament fits an extra morning into final sitting day
20 Dec 2024The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While… Audio
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Parliament on the home stretch, but first, a 30-hour sitting week
15 Dec 2024The House - This week, both the media and public honed in on the hullabaloo around ferries and speakers' rulings. Meanwhile, more than 30 hours of urgency were… Audio
The House headlines with summaries.
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Tough justice: How to drown a select committee
The House - In its first year, this Parliament has sent about six new laws to each select committee. But the Justice Committee has received 26. Why?
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Pacific presiders: Parliament hosts Pacific speakers and clerks
11 Dec 2024Speakers and clerks traded the warm shores of the South Pacific for Wellington's spring and a week of networking and learning, with a dose of casual diplomacy.
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Defence minister defends defence force: 'Out there with our tails up'
5 Dec 2024While the NZDF deals with budget issues, lagging equipment, and the Manawanui aftermath, Judith Collins makes it clear it still has her support. Audio
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Peek-a-boo politics: Scrutiny in the dark
The House: Parliament is conducting its annual week of performance reviews of government entities (and their ministers), sometimes all but blindfolded. Audio
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Parliament ending with intense scrutiny
1 Dec 2024There are just five House sitting days of Parliament left, which will feel like a warm down after what happens prior - five tough days of government scrutiny, with help from a watchdog. Audio
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'To love is to move towards freedom': Parliament's newest MP makes their maiden statement
24 Nov 2024Green MP Benjamin Doyle has joined the 54th Parliament a year into its term. Their maiden statement emphasised the need for radical love. Audio
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Meanwhile, a week of passing law
21 Nov 2024The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights.
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Samoan bill provides rare feel-good moment in Parliament
When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community.
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The hīkoi and Parliament, where protests are two-a-penny
20 Nov 2024The House - Parliament protests run the gamut between solo vigils and a few thousand with amplified speeches. The hīkoi was an entirely new category.
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Press Gallery 101: The House chats with Jason Walls
19 Nov 2024After an abuse apology kerfuffle in Parliament last week, The House spoke to Press Gallery chair Jason Walls about how the Press Gallery works, and who gets to join.
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The House: It's all politics
14 Nov 2024In Parliament, anything and everything can be political including things as innocuous as playground equipment, clothing, colours, and even eating takeaways.
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Apology approved: Apology bill not so much
13 Nov 2024The House: With Parliament focused on polite apology without politics, two parties leaned more into angry and argued politics was unavoidable. Audio
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MPs urged to think wider on Parliament bill
10 Nov 2024The House - Parliament is debating a bill about itself. The first public submissions on it included thoughts on new powers for security, and stopping governments from starving their own watchers. Audio
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Photo essay: Fighting the wind to fly the flag
8 Nov 2024The House: Atop the Beehive a lone national flag is tortured daily by Wellington's gales. We join its handlers up on the roof to chat, watching as its fraying edges whip the sky. Audio
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The House - Harmony and discord in Parliament's inconstant chamber
7 Nov 2024The House - Parliament is a mercurial place. Debate can flick from amity to antagony with each shift in topic, especially if that topic is climate change. Audio
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Early Question Time sparring may indicate themes
6 Nov 2024The House -The beginning of a new sitting block at Parliament is like the opening minutes of a boxing match. Audio
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The House: This week’s bills
5 Nov 2024Parliament is back with only a few weeks of debate left before summer and a lot of legislation to debate. Here are the bills up this week.
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Treaty of Waitangi addition petitioned at Parliament
27 Oct 2024The House - Parliament is considering a request to add a fourth article to the Treaty, to include an oral undertaking made to the signatories in 1840. Audio
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Samoan citizenship bill: 'It's good to be on the right side of history'
26 Oct 2024After a robust select committee process, all parties are supporting a member's bill that would restore New Zealand citizenship to Samoans who lost it four decades ago. Audio
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Government passes RMA changes to freshwater
24 Oct 2024Among all the government's resource management changes, the Fast-track Bill has received the bulk of attention. This week, a less traversed but equally significant bill from that suite became law.
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The House: Being hoist on a petard, and hoping to ban them
23 Oct 2024Parliament has featured in New Zealand's official Gazette twice in two days. Once regarding banning fireworks and once over the removal of an MP who caused fireworks. Audio
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What to watch this week at Parliament
22 Oct 2024This week, Parliament's key action is happening both in the House and in select committees, and includes the RMA, mental health, and a request to expand the Treaty of Waitangi.
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The art of the ministerial statement
20 Oct 2024The House - This week, Chris Penk made a ministerial statement about the Manawanui sinking. Here's how such statements work. Audio
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Polishing laws with both experts and experience
18 Oct 2024The House - Attending Parliament's select committees can be an education, but not always the one you might expect. Audio
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