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The custom of dragging a debate out as long as possible
It is the nature of Parliament that sometimes things which matter not one jot, and which everyone pretty much actually agrees on, take up an enormous amount of the House’s time.
Southern Say
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Going round and round the circular economy mulberry bush
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Going round and round the circular economy mulberry bush
For most of this week the House has been occupied with the Estimates Debate, the annual run through with ministers about their various portfolios.
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The pointless exercise which might actually mean something
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The pointless exercise which might actually mean something
At the end of a long recess with no Parliament what is one to do when there is no House of Representatives to watch but to go to the ‘‘Clayton’s’’ Parliament - the Parliament you have when you are...
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Still fighting, in the electorate and the supermarket aisles
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Still fighting, in the electorate and the supermarket aisles
As you may have noted earlier in today’s newspaper Dunedin is now blessed to have another local MP.
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Watching via video link as Stephenson dices with danger
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Watching via video link as Stephenson dices with danger
Todd Stephenson doesn’t really strike one as being danger adjacent, even if the Act New Zealand Southland list MP does live in the adrenaline sports capital of the world.
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MPs, MPs everywhere and many a vote to seek
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MPs, MPs everywhere and many a vote to seek
If you didn’t see a Labour MP this week you weren’t looking hard.
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Space Bill debate: I think it’s gonna be a long, long time
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Space Bill debate: I think it’s gonna be a long, long time
Rachel Brooking gets plenty of time speaking in the House on her main portfolio responsibilities.
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The ‘Death to Te Pukenga’ NZ tour
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The Penny Simmonds Experience ‘Death to Te Pukenga’ NZ tour
It has been a big week for National Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds as the work she, largely, got in to politics to do, well and truly got under way.
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The ins and outs of what is in, and out, of the Standards Bill
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The ins and outs of what is in, and out, of the Standards Bill
On Thursday, as Act New Zealand leader David Seymour was touring Dunedin, back in Wellington a somewhat surreal select committee process of keen interest to him was drawing to a close.
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Southern say: The Bill and the trees
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The Bill and the trees
Something which often surprises those whose only glimpse of Parliament is a few seconds on the TV news of MPs shouting at each other, is that most politicians actually get along fairly well.
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Simmonds out and about and talking trash in recess week
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Simmonds out and about and talking trash in recess week
As regular readers of Southern Say will know, this is a column which likes a cheap pun as much as the next hack.
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To infinity and beyond with a possum and sweet chilli sauce
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To infinity and beyond with a possum and sweet chilli sauce
One of the things MPs like most about the Budget debate is that it enables them to speak about almost anything so long as it can (sometimes very loosely) be linked back to the Budget.
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In it for the long haul
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In it for the long haul
If you like Parliament you well and truly had a treat last week, as the House sat until midnight Saturday under urgency to consider the wide range of legislation the government wanted to progress.
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Tikanga or not tikanga, that's the regulatory review question
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Tikanga or not tikanga, that's the regulatory review question
The regulations review committee is one of those select committees which does not get the recognition it deserves.
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Govt says do be hasty
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Govt says do be hasty
You may have had a bad week but it’s probably nothing compared with the week Dunedin Labour MP Rachel Brooking has had.
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The end is nigh/everything is great (delete as appropriate)
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The end is nigh/everything is great (delete as appropriate)
Finance Minister Nicola Willis experienced a white-knuckle ride yesterday, flying out of windy Wellington for the calmer climes of Dunedin.
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The ins and outs of building a desirable residence
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Debating the ins and outs of building a desirable residence
A Queenstown residence with lakefront views sounds amazing, but it’s not a happy lot for everyone.
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It turns out woolly thinking is something to be applauded
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It turns out woolly thinking is something to be applauded
Proof positive this week that individual voices can turn around the ocean liner that is Parliament.
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All the fun of this year’s Taxation (Annual Rates) extravaganza
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All the fun of this year’s Taxation (Annual Rates) extravaganza
Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose, as some of our more educated or veteran MPs may have contemplated this week as the Taxation Bill hoved into view.
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In the unlikely event of emergency call Chippie
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In the unlikely event of emergency call Chippie
This might seem a bit unlikely, but bear with me . . . Labour could be feeling a trifle worried about its impregnable grasp on Dunedin.