The House

This week, media and public focus on Parliament honed in on the hullabaloo about ferries and speakers rulings. Meanwhile, over 30 hours of urgency were used to consider eleven bills have been going through the House this week.

In its first year, this parliament has sent 78 new laws to the twelve subject select committees. That should mean they are reviewing six bills each, except the Justice Committee has been sent 26 of them - including many of the most contested. Why?

Last month, twelve Pacific speakers and clerks from around Oceania traded the warm shores of the South Pacific for Wellington in spring. They were here for a week of networking and learning, with doses of casual diplomacy.

Parliament was heaving with activity this week, though not with debates, bills, or even any sittings of the House. Instead, the corridors and committee rooms were alive with the hustle and bustle of Scrutiny Week.

Whether its about the lack of it, the quality of it, or the cost of it, discussions about housing are omnipresent at Parliament. This week, both Housing Ministers sat down in front of MPs for a session of explain and answer on the topic.

While New Zealand's defence force deals with budget issues, lagging equipment, and the aftermath of the Manawanui, Defence Minister Judith Collins made it clear that NZDF still have the unwavering support of their minister.

Scrutiny Week is underway with annual reviews of government entities with multi-billion dollar budgets. Also underway are political games you would never dare try in your own performance review. Exhibit A is Shane Reti facing Ayesha Verrall in the Health Committee.

There are just five House sitting days of Parliament left. They will feel like a warm down after what happens prior – five tough days of government scrutiny, with help from Parliament's watchdog. The House chats with Mark Evans and Lyndsey Gibson from the Office of the Auditor General about Scrutiny Week.

The Green's Benjamin Doyle has joined the 54th Parliament about a third of the way into its term. Their maiden statement wrapped up a huge week for Parliament.

The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but in the background all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights.

The House speaks to two members of the Samoan Community that came to Parliament to see the Restoring Citizenship Bill pass its final reading. 

At Parliament the vast majority of noise and passion was from the hikoi outside the chamber. The crowd so large that vast number likely never managed to get inside the grounds. Despite that, everyone was incredibly patient, friendly and polite. Inside, the debating chamber was never going to quite match the energy - or possibly the politeness.

After a tsunami of coverage out of Parliament last week, The House spoke to Press Gallery Chair Jason Walls about how the Press Gallery works.

The Treaty principles bill dominated Parliament's week, despite being the final bill debated. How was it talked about in the House when it was not the topic of a debate; who focussed on it, who ignored it, who was ignored?

In Parliament anything and everything can be political, or can be bent to politics. In recent memory, things as apparently innocuous as playground equipment, clothing, colours, or eating takeaways.