If it’s been a strange few weeks at Parliament, due to the occupation of its grounds by protesters, among them groups calling for MPs and media people to be executed, it became even more unusual this past week as the House began functioning under its new hybrid arrangement.
Established due to the Omicron Covid-19 outbreak, the hybrid parliament involves some MPs participating in debates or Question Time remotely - much the same way as Select Committees have been meeting online since early in the pandemic. These MPs are seen in Parliament's chamber on a series of large screens, their speeches or questions dialled in as a live audio stream.
Maori Party MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer speaks during the hybrid parliament, 2 March 2022. Photo: VNP / Johnny Blades
It wasn’t without hiccups, including the normal awkward moments when someone who is supposed to be speaking doesn’t realise they’re muted. There were also stages when the Speaker, Trevor Mallard, and his assistants talked members through problems with things like sound balance or how to enter the debate.
Mallard also had to remind some MPs about certain guidelines which stand for parliament whether remote or in-chamber.
“I want to remind people who are participating remotely that the rules are the same for you as they are in the Chamber. It is not that appealing for me to watch people eating their lunch,” the Speaker said.
However, the benefits of the hybrid parliament were espoused by numerous members, such as Labour’s Whangarei MP Emily Henderson during debate on the Harmful Digital Communications Amendment Bill.
“This is in fact my first re-entry into the House. Earlier this year I had the misfortune to take a tumble on a tramp with my family. Clearly, I should have heeded the teenagers' suggestions and allowed them to stay on their digital devices safely at home.
“But the upshot is that I am personally, deeply grateful for the fact that we are now in a hybrid parliamentary system and I am able to contribute here remotely and do my job for my constituents,” Dr Henderson said.
Mainly MPs were simply glad to be able to participate remotely, despite issues with not just sound, but lighting as well, as Labour’s Sarah Pallet found during the Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill debate
“It's slightly confusing here - I'm speaking via Zoom - because we have occasionally some microphone feedback as I'm getting… I'm just going to talk over you, so forgive me. If you want my attention just yell… I am absolutely delighted to be speaking this evening—lit, as I am, by the evening sun, so forgive me for the somewhat uneven lighting.”
Trevor Mallard addresses the House Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
There was recognition of the need for precautions to try and keep others safe from the virus, reminding us that MPs are human, after all. Speaking remotely, the Green Party’s Golriz Ghahraman acknowledged the anxious times around Parliament.
”This my first time speaking via Zoom Parliament, so it's good to be here, and I do want to acknowledge that everybody who is in the House right now in person is probably quite anxious and experiencing the anxiety that comes with what's going on outside.”
While the illegal occupation outside on Parliament’s grounds ended in major unrest, discord inside the chamber proper came through loud and clear to those sitting remotely like Dr Henderson.
“My goodness, you're having an interesting evening there, Mr Speaker, clearly. It's an interesting experience doing this digitally, hearing the feedback, seeing the faces.
“I have a few tips for those who are Zooming now. I've realised the trick is don't put it on the view where you can see the speaker because it's very distracting to have to look at yourself all the time,” she said.
“It's much more fun to be able to look at the wonderful faces of your colleagues and, of course, to be able to ignore the slight background noises much more than one [is] usually able to do.”
Labour MP Camilla Belich during the hybrid parliament, 2 March, 2022. Photo: VNP / Johnny Blades
None of this hybrid stuff would be possible without the work of technicians, and the Speaker warned that he wouldn’t tolerate criticism of staff facilitating the various speeches coming from remote locations.
Talking of tech and futurism, National’s Joseph Mooney exuded fanboy excitement with the new arrangement.
“So we have this evening been listening to other members of Parliament beaming in through a kind of matrix-type moment with big screens in Parliament, and it's been quite interesting to see. So it's been a mix of the new and the old, and that has been quite something,” Mooney said.
“I also should note very briefly, just that it has been quite a unique day in the country's history. We've seen scenes that we haven't seen before, and it has been a sad day for the country.”
