News
Pandemic debate develops a temperature
Six years since Covid's first outbreak, more heat than healing featured when MPs discussed an inquiry report aimed at learning lessons from the pandemic response.
The House: MPs put public service integrity under the microscope
MPs considered the integrity of New Zealand's public service this week with a Long Term Insights Briefing from the Public Service Commission.
The House: What’s happening at Parliament this week
The census, gambling, boy racers and an infrastructure plan are all up for debate this week in Parliament.
Georgie Dansey subbed on in Parliament's last quarter
With barely seven months left in this Parliament Labour has a new MP - Georgie Dansey - who has given her first, introductory speech.
The House: Turning back time through law
Parliament is considering a law that changes what was legal in the past. Retrospective law-making is allowed, but rare and controversial.
Booze, betting, and the right to banter: Bills this week
With the opening formalities finally complete, Parliament this week is solely focusing on legislation, including the first members' day for the year.
Public Service Amendment Bill reignites diversity debate
The Public Service Amendment Bill is back from Select Committee, reigniting debate on the culture war flashpoint - diversity, equity and inclusion.
The laws Parliament is currently mulling over
After a slow start to their year, MPs are back in Wellington and mostly focusing on government business. We run through the bills under discussion.
From caucus to admin: Kevin Hague on his new role
The House sits down with a former MP to unpack what a Chief of Staff does, and what it's been like to return to Parliament, but in the back office.
Adrian Rurawhe: From Rātana Pā to the Speaker's Chair
The first valedictory statement for the year was given by the former Speaker of the House, likely the first of many election-year goodbyes.
Earnest speeches delay the first politics in Parliament's year
Before the typically combative debate on the Prime Minister's statement, the parliamentary year began on a sombre note, with MPs acknowledging recent weather tragedies.
On their final day, MPs consider quality of our final years
On Parliament's last sitting day of the year, MPs discussed an issue with the potential to surge in prominence.
The House: Parliament gets urgent on voting rules, climate targets
In its penultimate sitting block of the year, Parliament was in urgency debating 12 bills, but the most controversial were among the last.
MPs' week begins with an RMA shakeup precursor
The House: Parliament's penultimate sitting week began with a major shakeup to the RMA, helped along by urgency.
Behind the fiery clashes of Scrutiny Week
Headlines from Parliament honed in on the heated exchanges, but the unglamorous work also carried on.
Scrutiny week: High profile issues dominate opening days
The first week of Parliament's final sitting block of 2025 is focused on scrutiny on past Government spending. Early conflict focused on animal welfare.
Urgency ends early after Parliament voting gaffe
A late night voting error during a fourth evening of urgency last week forced the government to end urgency sooner than expected.
Thirteen bills get urgency treatment in penultimate sitting block of 2025
In the last week of the penultimate sitting block of the year, the House was moved into urgency for the progression of 13 government bills.
Government completes four bills in week of political sideshows
Four government bills completed their legislative journeys this week - two enjoyed relative consensus across the House. The other two, not so much.
'Utterly disgraceful': Parliament reacts to McSkimming saga
Question time was pushed back on Wednesday this week so that the House could address the report of the Independent Police Conduct Authority into misconduct at police.
A former PM weighs in on Parliament's rules
The Standing Orders committee continues its triennial review of Parliament's rules and hears from a former PM.
The House: Behind the scenes at the Parliamentary library
The House chats with three members of the Parliamentary library. More than just books and periodicals - it's a research powerhouse.
Regulatory Standards Bill back in the House
While the week in politics began with another chapter in the ongoing tensions within Te Pāti Māori, the House started the parliamentary week by resuming the consideration of the closely followed…
Parliament finds energy to debate power costs
This week, Parliament allocated an hour to debate New Zealand's struggling energy sector. All parties agreed it was an issue, but diverged on how to solve it.
A question of intent: Takutai Moana Bill passes third reading
The Takutai Moana Bill bill on customary marine titles has passed after much argument over the original intent of its predecessor.