A hasty deal has been struck between National and Labour on the floor of the House after Labour failed to muster a majority to have its MP Trevor Mallard elected as Speaker.
Five government MPs and one National MP were absent from Parliament as MPs were sworn in this morning.
That left National with a majority and after a quick consultation between party whips and senior MPs, Labour agreed to increase the number of select committee positions from 96 to 108.
The reduction in select committee slots, as decided by the last Parliament, was a point of contention for National.
It had argued nearly a dozen of its MPs would not be sitting on a select committee, therefore diminishing its ability to hold the government to account.
Leader Bill English told RNZ this morning a reduction in select committee seats was anti-democratic.
-RNZ
5 comments
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Posted on 07-11-2017 13:40 | By SML
for the gander"? Lol, Check out that link in the article: "The number of MPs who will sit on select committees has been reduced, but ..... that was because of an agreement all political parties signed up to in the last Parliament." !! So, National brought that in, but now isn't happy as it disadvantages them? I wonder how many more toys will get thrown out of the National's cots, when legislation THEY brought in doesn't suit them in opposition?
Spoilt little brats.
Posted on 07-11-2017 17:35 | By Marshal
It seems to me that the National party policy is... If we can't be in charge we will try to make a farce of the next three years of New Zealand politics.. True Blue..??
Losers
Posted on 08-11-2017 09:46 | By phoenix
No wonder Hipkiss wants to abolish National standards in our schools. Under that criteria He would Fail miserably. Not able to count. But maybe pass on making excuses.
Seems to me
Posted on 08-11-2017 10:20 | By RawPrawn
...the only spoilt little brats here are the Labourfirst MPs who couldn't be bothered turning up for the first day of work! Nothing wrong with an effective Opposition showing the newbies the ropes
About spoilt little brats
Posted on 08-11-2017 11:12 | By nerak
Anyone seen the pic of Bridges elsewhere in the media? The one which perhaps shows him in his best light yet, looking ropeable, to put it mildly. Seen that look on him before, when he was talking loudly over me; SML mentioned toys out of cot...
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