24 May 2016

Today In Parliament for 24 May 2016 - evening edition

From In Parliament, 6:50 pm on 24 May 2016

Budget Week begins with a Question Time dominated by the housing shortage as the Opposition tries unsuccessfully to get the prime minister to admit that it has reached crisis point. Building and Housing Minister, Nick Smith, attempts to get back at Labour with the help of patsy questions but overcooks his answer and is stopped by the Speaker, David Carter. New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, tackles the prime minister about Auckland pensioners being forced to buy a Hop Card to travel on city buses but gets nowhere. Focus on housing continues with debate on the committee stage of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill.