The House

Parliament changed New Zealand’s adoption laws this week. The bill was revealed at the last minute, and thanks to urgency and unanimous support, it was completed within a day.

This week, the Government introduced an adoption law change at the last minute, which, thanks to urgency, passed all stages in one day.

Perhaps the most recognisable part of Parliament is Question Time. But what techniques do MPs from both sides use to game it to their advantage?

This week the Government’s 2025 budget was finally approved by Parliament. The last major hurdle involved a long walk through a political minefield of questions, and even some answers. We look at the range of approaches, ideal and less so; including a new way to avoid answering questions.

It's been over 100 days since Bugdet Day but lo and behold, the government is still in the process of securing Parliament's approval for the planned spending. The delay comes down to Parliament’s lengthy financial scrutiny process.

Parliament’s week is traditionally shaped across three days. That shape is increasingly being squeezed and select committees are being forced into the margins. We consider the factors at play.

Each of New Zealand’s 72 electorates is unique, so what's it like to represent the heart of our capital city?

Are Parliament’s colonial underpinnings out of date? A former Speaker says Parliament ought to be a reflection of everyone, but isn’t, and the mental shift needed would take collective political will. The House chats with Adrian Rurawhe and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi about how Parliament could better reflect Māori tikanga and kawa.

Several significant bills were passed through the House this week, two of them being Opposition bills. Meanwhile, the General Debate proved to be a test of the Speaker's tolerance for accusations of lying.

Mendacity is the bane of good debate. In Parliament both lies and claims of lies used to be naughty, but the floodgates may have opened on the latter.

Members' bills can come from any backbench MP. Usually, successful government bills far outnumber opposition bills – but not this parliament.

This week's bills are a mixture of unfinished business from last week and a selection of other bills plucked from the Order Paper, and awaiting their respective next stages.

Last week the Speaker made a series of new rulings and interpretations on the fly in punishing an MP who dared governing party MPs to demonstrate some spine regarding Israel and Gaza. We survey and analyse the incident and aftermath.

This week in Parliament, a brouhaha about unparliamentary language, an eviction from the House, and apologies, or rather a lack thereof, stole the spotlight – but what bills went through?