Southern Say

The South has plenty of MPs — nine all up, across five parties — but no party leaders and only two ministers.

Southern Say is, deliberately and unapologetically, a column which focuses on the exploits of MPs from south of the Waitaki and political activity in our region.

Parliament is many things to many people but this week it broke new ground by setting up in the pet rehousing business.

Parliament was in recess this week but the last few days have been anything but a break for members of the environment select committee.

The thing about politics, to borrow a cliche, is that you pay your money and you take your chances.

In Parliament, much like life itself, things move swiftly. The burning issue of the day can flame out in a matter of hours, let alone last an actual 24 hour news cycle.

It is not often that Miles Anderson and Rachel Brooking vote the same way on something. Or Scott Willis and Penny Simmonds for that matter.

Something many people do not know about the building which includes Parliament’s debating chamber is that there is another similar chamber just behind it.

Monday morning is early in the week for an existential crisis, but that was what Parliament’s primary production select committee had on its schedule.

Parliament is back, an election date set and everyone’s motors are up and running for a big year ahead.

Although everyone else does "Politician of the year", at Southern Say we eschew such tawdry baubles.

"Help the aged, don’t just put them in a home," Britpop band Pulp sang in one of their more unusual singles, Help The Aged.

To the surprise of absolutely no-one, Parliament once more adopted urgency this week as the government pressed to get a plethora of Bills progressed before Christmas.

This past week has been Scrutiny Week at Parliament, where the actions of ministers and ministries are put under under the spotlight during a series of committee hearings.

The hurly-burly of politics seldom intrudes on the quiet halls of Bupa Windsor Park Care Home in Gore.

Yes, it has been a big few days at Parliament, what with MPs being expelled and a major corruption scandal at New Zealand Police.

As has been noted in this column before, New Zealand First Taieri list MP Mark Patterson likes wool.

As a trained lawyer, Joseph Mooney will be well familiar with the legal adage "hard cases make bad law".