Southern Say

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.

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.

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.

Parliament began for a new year on Tuesday with a show of unanimity, MPs from across the House joining in paying tribute to Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming and the late Te Pāti Māori co-founder Dame Tariana Turia.