4 Jul 2018

First words by the book - Dan Bidois' maiden statement

From The House , 6:55 pm on 4 July 2018

There are a couple of steps a new MP has to go through when they join the House of Representatives.

The first is to swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II - they're not to vote or speak in the House until they do.

The second is to write a banger of a first speech to make sure everyone knows what you stand for.

Last week National MP Dan Bidois did the first step and was sworn in and this week he gave his maiden statement.

Most MPs gave their maiden speech in the Address in Reply Debate shortly after Parliament opened last year - that was a debate about whether or not to send a nice note thanking the Governor General for giving a speech from the throne (even though they didn't actually write the speech).

But MPs who are elected after that debate has taken place are allowed to make a maiden speech in the House and a special time slot of about 15 minutes is put aside for them to do so.

Many maiden speeches and statements have been given over the years and a typical structure has emerged.

Dan Bidois was fairly faithful to that structure giving thanks to his voters and predecessor Jonathan Coleman.

"I'm here as the result of a by-election that was held on 9 June, after the departure of the Honourable Dr Jonathan Coleman, a man who held this seat for 13 years, with nine of those as a Cabinet Minister," he told the House.

"On behalf of the people of Northcote, I wish to thank Jonathan for his service to the Northcote electorate."

Jonathan Coleman was an electorate MP meaning people in Northcote voted for him specifically. He resigned in March this year so his replacement also had to be voted in.

 

 

Earlier in May another National MP Nicola Willis was sworn in but they didn’t have to go through an election process because they were replacing a list MP.

 

List MPs enter Parliament based on how many party votes their party received. In simple terms, the more votes a party gets, the more people on its list it can have in the House.

 

You couldn’t have an entire Parliament of list MPs though, the rules say over half the House has to be members representing a constituency - or in other words elected like Dan Bidois was.

 

National's Dan Bidois and Simon Bridges at Glenfield Mall.

National's Dan Bidois and Simon Bridges at Glenfield Mall. Photo: Supplied

 

The character and problems for an electorate are usual topics in a maiden statement and Mr Bidois followed that tradition by talking about the positives of his electorate.

 

"Northcote is the hidden gem of Auckland and an area that I could not be more proud to represent".

 

And he also talked about its challenges.

 

"With the scale and pace of growth on the North Shore over the past 20 years and in the foreseeable future, investment in key infrastructure such as public transport, schools, healthcare services, car parks, and sporting grounds have yet to match this growth," he said.

 

Personal stories of an MP's upbringing and what has shaped their values are also common in a maiden statement.

 

"My interest in politics stems from my grandmother Millie," he told the House. 

 

'She was a staunch National Party supporter ever since her local MP, Sir Robert Muldoon, helped her into a State house in Glen Innes in the 1960s. Surviving on only a modest widow's pension, having access to a State house meant that she could dedicate herself full time to raising her two children and, later on, to helping to raise my sisters and I."

 

Dan Bidois with mum Leah Bidois.

Dan Bidois with mum Leah Bidois. Photo: RNZ / Gia Garrick

 

He also paid tribute to his mother who he said had faced "her fair share of challenges" since she adopted him.

 

"From taking care of a sick baby, later dealing with a troubled and misbehaving kid, watching her son battle cancer, struggling with a separation, and raising three children. I'm inspired by the grit and determination my mum displayed to rise above her challenges and provide for her family."

 

Finally, Mr Bidois outlined future issues for New Zealand including climate change, an aging population, and globalisation.
 

"Responding effectively to these challenges and opportunities will determine whether our great nation endures or declines. This is going to be a monumental task, but I relish the opportunity to play a small part of this effort."
 

"Like all of you, I'm here today because I want to improve the lives of New Zealanders and improve the social, economic, and environmental future of this great nation," he said.