The House

The election is still 270 sleeps away, but inside Parliament the hustings are assembled. Question Time's usefulness diminishes but jibes and insults flourish.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House sits down with Kevin Hague to unpack what the Chief of Staff role really involves, what it’s like for the former MP to be back in the parliamentary world. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Former Speaker Adrian Rurawhe is calling it quits after a decade in Parliament. Despite wanting to leave quietly, he reluctantly gave his final address to the House on Wednesday this week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament’s first week was the 2026 election campaign writ small, from departing MPs to the 13-hour long debate over whether the Government should stay in office. The House attempts haruspicy on innards from the party leaders' speeches.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Before launching into the bellicose set piece that is the debate on the Prime Minister's statement, the Parliamentary year began on a more somber note with MPs paying acknowledging recent weather events. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Every year Parliament ends in a more or less identical way, with the adjournment debate. To prove it, we sift its moments using previous years' descriptors. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On Parliament’s final sitting day of the year, MPs discussed an issue with the potential to surge in prominence: the quality of life for ageing New Zealanders.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament’s week began with condolences on the Bondi attack. The six parties’ responses were very similar, but their divergences also said a lot.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In its penultimate sitting block of the year, Parliament was in urgency debating 12 bills, The House looks at the two most controversial ones. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament's penultimate sitting week began with a major shakeup to the RMA, helped along by urgency. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rather than enjoying a gentle wind-down, Parliament’s final full week is packed with last-minute work as the Government tries to complete work and adds ten new bills to MPs’ piles for good measure. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament's December Scrutiny Week is over. The House looks at the eternal tussle between politics and actual oversight, and the interlocking problems of scale and attention that mean you will miss most of it.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Headlines from scrutiny week honed in on the heated clashes, but behind the scenes the unglamorous work of number-crunching carried on.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament’s biannual Scrutiny Weeks involve a sudden glut of oversight, but what reaches the public is only a glimpse behind the curtain.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The first week of Parliament's final sitting block of 2025 is solely focused on scrutiny on past Government spending. It began with a back and forth on animal welfare. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A late night voting error during a fourth evening of urgency last week forced the Government to end urgency sooner than expected. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Urgency was the theme of the week at Parliament this week, both in the House and during the ongoing Standing Orders review into Parliament's rules. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

MPs are working on 13 bills under Urgency this week but numerous amendments and drawn out voting sessions threaten to slow the process down.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A bill reducing charges for clean vehicle imports has passed through under urgency at Parliament. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

MPs are working on passing bills through various stages under urgency this week with one of those stages involving putting legislation under the microscope Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In the last week of the penultimate sitting block of the year, the House was moved into urgency for the progression of 13 government bills. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A loophole in parliamentary rules has avoided a debate, shortened a committee report back time, and resulted in 11 days for the public to have their say on proposed fast track amendments. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Amidst political distractions Parliament continued to consider legislation, with four government bills completing their legislative journeys this week. Two enjoyed relative consensus across the House. The other two not so much. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Question time was pushed back on Wednesday this week so that the House could address the report of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Question time is usually all about Ministers but today had an extra question directed at an MP outside the executive.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

If you follow New Zealand politics, you'll want to follow Politics NZ. Get Nine to Noon Politics, The Whip, Morning Report's politicians panel, Focus on Politics, The House, and Context all in one feed.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

MPs spend hours arguing in the debating chamber at Parliament but on certain occasions they put aside their differences and a new MP's first speech is one of those times. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week, the Standing Orders committee who are doing their triennial review of Parliament's rules heard from a former PMGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament extended its hours this week to progress three claims settlement bills for Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu, Ngāti Paoa, and Ngāti Hāua.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

While the week in politics began with another chapter in the ongoing tensions within Te Pāti Māori, the House started the parliamentary week by resuming the consideration of the widely followed Regulatory Standards Bill. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House chats with three members of the Parliamentary Library. More than just books and periodicals – it’s a research powerhouse. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The House on Sunday reviews the week's special debate on New Zealand’s struggling energy sector; and two signs that herald next election: the Standing Orders Review and... is that an interesting shape in Parliament's 2026 Sitting Calendar?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Parliament produced two heralds of the election to come. Crucial work on tweaking Parliament’s rules, and a calendar that may even hint at an actual election date. The first is crucial, the second just fun. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The law relating to how customary marine title is granted in New Zealand will soon change, with the Takutai Moana Bill passing its third and final reading in Parliament this week.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament’s Question Time is correctly named. Actual answers can be few and far between. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Today in Parliament, the usual agenda was put aside as the House dedicated the sitting day to lamenting the death of Jim Bolger. Almost all MPs made a note of his legacy as an advocate for MāoriGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Governance and Administration Committee heard from submitters on the Public Service Amendment Bill this week. One such submitter, the Clerk of the House, said select committee scrutiny risks being weakened should a clause remain in the Bill. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament is always a story of continuing business, but this week plot summaries would have been helpful, to reveal ‘the story so far on Yeas and Nays of our Lives…'Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament's new MP for Tāmaki Makaurau, Oriini Kaipara, delivered her maiden speech this week - an event that was overshadowed somewhat by her supporters' celebrations. But what did Parliament's newest MP actually say in her speech before all that?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nearly a year after the Government’s Crown Apology to Survivors of Abuse in State Care, Parliament is close to passing a bill aimed at preventing that harm from happening again Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A good pub quiz team always needs music and sports nerds and a celebrity news addict, but for wide general knowledge a diligent MP might be just the thing, with good reason. MPs cover a boggling array of topics on a daily basis.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Tuesday at Parliament felt a bit like Groundhog Day as Foreign Minister Winston Peters gave yet another Ministerial Statement on the war in Gaza. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The state has three independent branches. Victoria University Dean of Law, Geoff McLay helps explain the crucial relationship between parliament, government and the courts.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Under the Beehive is the National Crisis Management Centre – an underground command centre where NEMA can coordinate responses to national crises. We take a tour.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament changed New Zealand’s adoption laws this week. The bill was revealed at the last minute, and thanks to urgency and unanimous support, it was completed within a day.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parliament's translation team would have been flat out this week as Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori saw an uptick in te reo usage at Question Time Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week, the Government introduced an adoption law change at the last minute, which, thanks to urgency, passed all stages in one day. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Perhaps the most recognisable part of Parliament is Question Time. But what techniques do MPs from both sides use to game it to their advantage?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week the Government’s 2025 budget was finally approved by Parliament. The last major hurdle involved a long walk through a political minefield of questions, and even some answers. We look at the range of approaches, ideal and less so; including a new way to avoid answering questions.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's been over 100 days since Bugdet Day but lo and behold, the government is still in the process of securing Parliament's approval for the planned spending. The delay comes down to Parliament’s lengthy financial scrutiny process. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details