Parliament Today

Extended version of the Week in Parliament with Tom Frewen and Hinaya Ahu plus the full-length Santa Baby from Marama Fox and Te Ururoa Flavell.

The last Week in Parliament for 2016 and probably for ever as RNZ and the Clerks Office are not renewing the contract for 2017.

MPs start their summer holiday at 4.31pm at the end of the adjournment debate and a final festive Question Time.

Child poverty and Pike River dominate first Question Time for Bill English as prime minister, sitting in the National frontbench seat formerly occupied by John Key. First bill put up for debate by Mister Englishs National-led Government is the Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill which passes its first reading by 61 to 59 but is sent to a select committee by the larger margin of 75-45.

Extended version of the Week in Parliament with Hinaya Ahu and Tom Frewen. Extra reports include the Speakera response to New Zealand Firsts questions about the Parliamentary Palace and the first reading of a bill that would transfer responsibility for decisions on fluoridating local water supplies from territorial authorities to District Health Boards.

An exciting and historic week in the House after Prime Minister, John Key, announces his intention to resign after eight years. Speaker grants an urgent debate on the announcement on Tuesday and speculation on his successor dominates Wednesdays General Debate and Question Times. Debate on Members Bills on Wednesday sees two from Government MPs survive their first reading debates and being referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee and three from Opposition MPs all being denied a first reading by the same margin - the sixty-three of National, the Maori Party, United Future and ACT defeating the fifty-seven of Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First. The five vacancies created on the members order paper were filled by five more members bills drawn in the ballot the next day. On the governments ticket, the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill and the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Amendment Bill were read a third time. Then, resuming in extended time at nine ay em on Wednesday, although in Parliamentary time still in Tuesday, the House passed the Rangitane o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Display of Low-alcohol Beverages and Other Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill. After Question Time on Thursday, the House took a break from dealing with the aftershocks of John Keys imminent departure and returned to the Governments legislation in response to the massive seven-point-eight magnitude quake on November the fourteenth, The adjournment on Thursday at just after five pee em came at the end of the third and final reading of the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery Bill, the third measure in the Governments response to the Kaikoura Earthquake. --

MPs take a break from speculating about John Keys successor as National Party leader and Prime Minister to pass the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery Bill through all its remaining stages. The bill was back in the debating chamber after spending almost a week with the Local Government and Environment Committee whose chairman, Scott Simpson, related how government MPs on the committee heard of Mister Keys resignation announcement. Nationals Kaikoura MP, Stuart Smith, reports on aspects of his electorates recovery from the 7.8 magnitude quake.

Opposition interest in Nationals three-legged race to find a replacement for John Key as their party leader and prime minister dominates Question Time and the General Debate. Questions include some old skeletons from the cupboards of Police Minister, Judith Collins, and Health Minister, Jonathan Coleman. New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, swaps barbs with Attorney-General, Christopher Finlayson.

New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, gets his request for a snap debate on John Keys resignation in ahead of Opposition leader, Andrew Little. The Speaker, David Carter, grants the request despite its technical flaws and opposition from the Governments leader of the House, Gerry Brownlee. The governments response to Winston Peters is led by the deputy prime minister, Bill English. Dispute over the nature of Mister Keys legacy includes questions as to whether he will even have a legacy. But Gerry Brownlee remains staunch in support of his Prime Minister.

Extended version of the Week in Parliament with Hinaya Ahu featuring Tracey Martin and Catherine Delahunty in the General Debate and another round in the long running battle between Annette King and Jonathan Coleman, health ministers past and present.

The Key administrations go-to quake response minister, Gerry Brownlee, dominates the week in the House, shepherding three bills through the House as the Governments response to the Kaikoura earthquake on November 14. Mister Brownlee then gives a yeah-no answer to a patsy question seeking the timing and magnitude of the next big quake. The Speakers announcement on Monday of a plan to build a ministerial office block on Parliaments car park attracts the close attention of the New Zealand First Party which questions the prime minister sbout it and asks the Speaker for an urgent debate, getting nowhere. Three treaty settlement bills are passed in extra time on Wednesday morning. Later that day, Chris Bishops members bill, compensating live organ donors, passes its third and final reading. Two opposition members bills are defeated short of a first reading by the narrowest of margins, 61-59. Gerry Brownlee confirms that there will be another members day on Wednesday.

Third quake bill - the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery Bill - introduced, given a first reading and sent to the Local Government and Environment Committee with instructions to report it back by Tuesday 6 December. Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Emergency Relief Bill, reported back from that committee, was put through all its remaining stages. Gerry Brownlee advises that GNS says an earthquake of similar in magnitude to the Kaikoura shake is unlikely but . . . possible. Mister Brownlee then makes more accurate prediction about likely business on governments agenda next week including another Members Day next Wednesday.

New Zealand First MPs pursue the Speaker, David Carter, over his plan to build a new ministerial building on Parliaments car park. New Zealand Firsts deputy leader, Ron Mark, goes too far and has to take an early bath. His caucus colleagues, Denis ORourke and Tracey Martin, keep up the pressure in Question Time and the General Debate. New Zealand First also stands alone in opposition to three Treaty Settlement Bills passed in extra time on Wednesday morning. Later in the day, with the chamber turned over to backbenchers to make progress on their bills, National list MP, Chris Bishop, sees his Compensation for Live Organ Donors Bill through its third and final reading to acclaim from all quarters.

Government puts House under urgency to pass two bills in response to the Kaikoura earthquake. The first, the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Emergency Relief Bill, was given a first reading before being sent to the Local Government and Environment Committee where it will spend a day before being reported back on Thursday to be passed through its final stages. The second bill, the Civil Defence Emergency Management Amendment Act 2016 Amendment Bill, amending legislation passed just a few days before the earthquake struck early on Monday 14 November, is to be passed through all its stages. Question time includes one for the prime minister, John Key, about plans to build a new ministerial office on Parliaments car park. A request for a snap debate on this issue is rejected by the Speaker, David Carter.

Extended version of The Week in Parliament including Urgency on Tuesday.

MPs on the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee hear submissions on the Land Transport Amendment Bill. Otaki Road Safety Group convenor, Fred MacDonald, proposes gates on station platforms as a way o fthwarting fare dodgers. Some committee members struggle to get to grips with Ubers technology of uniting driver and passenger via the internet. A Wellington taxi driver gives his view of Uber. Leader of the House, Gerry Brownlee, previews the week ahead in his business statement.

Extended version of The Week in Parliament with double the length and including appeals for more money for public radio (which fell on deaf ears) and questions about the recovery of bodies from the Pike River Coal Mine (which also fell on deaf ears on the government benches).

Week in the House dominated by the aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which jolted the country on Monday morning; Prime Minister John Key delivers a ministerial statement on the quake on Tuesday, and is followed by a round of speeches from representatives of all parties in the House; Aftershocks of the quake were felt in Parliaments debating chamber later that afternoon, as Finance Minister Bill English was answering questions about the Governments response to likely economic impacts of the quake; Tuesday also saw an unusual Question Time - in its cordiality, as well as the fact that all questions stemmed from the same subject - the Kaikoura earthquake; Among ministers facing questions throughout the week about the quake and its aftermath are the Prime Minister John Key, Minister for Transport Simon Bridges, Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee, Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith, and Education Minister Hekia Parata; Meanwhile, on Thursday Mr Brownlee led the House in recommending the appointment of former Transport Secretary Martin Matthews as the new Auditor-General to succeed Lyn Provost - a move endorsed by MPs including the Maori Partys Marama Fox and Labours Trevor Mallard; Also on Thursday, Mr Mallard, as Assistant Speaker, chaired part of Thursdays special Pacific Issues debate, coinciding with the Pacific Parliamentary Forum held this week at Parliament; Week sees a total of 21 select committee meetings held - including three Health sub-committees on Friday, hearing public submissions on Maryann Streets petition calling for an inquiry into public attitudes towards euthanasia; On Thursday, the Justice and Electoral Committee hears a submission criticising the Governments Electoral Amendment Bill - including its rushed submissions process and lack of provision for the possible impacts of natural disasters such as earthquakes on the election process; Education and Science Committee hears submissions on the Education (Update) Amendment Bill - including criticism of its establishment of Centres Of Online Learning - or COOLs.

Civil Defence Minister, Gerry Brownlee, explains the significance of Sunday nights Kaikoura earthquake being upgraded from magnitude 7.5 to 7.8. Building and Housing Minister, Nick Smith,. faces questions about the quality of Wellington buildings. He also faces questions about the possibility of recovering the 29 bodies still in the Pike River Coal mine six years after the mine exploded.  Beehive springs a leak? Former Transport Secretary, Martin Matthews, recommended for appointment as the next auditor-general. House acknowleges Pacific Parliamentary Forum with special debate