Phil Smith

New Zealand

Editor at Radio New Zealand (RNZ)

Editor at The House Podcast

Journalist. Editor of The House - RNZ's Parliament report.

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Articles

Government urgency plans slow to a crawl

1 week ago | radionz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Parliament's post-Budget urgency did not go as the government might have hoped. Opposition MPs debated contentious bills, bringing the House to a virtual standstill and forcing the government to abandon one bill entirely and jettison debates in order to make progress. After Thursday's Budget announcements and the opening stanza of the eight-hour long Budget Debate, the House followed tradition, pausing that debate to take urgency. The government's plan was to move 12 bills through 30 stages.
Government urgency plans slow to a crawl

1 week ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Parliament's post-Budget urgency did not go as the government might have hoped. Opposition MPs debated contentious bills, bringing the House to a virtual standstill and forcing the government to abandon one bill entirely and jettison debates in order to make progress. After Thursday's Budget announcements and the opening stanza of the eight-hour long Budget Debate, the House followed tradition, pausing that debate to take urgency. The government's plan was to move 12 bills through 30 stages.
The Governor General is deep in the DNA of Parliament

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

RNZ show The House talks about Parliament a lot. Yet, in more than eight years, one crucial part of Parliament has been largely ignored: the role of the Governor General, who is part of both Parliament and the Executive. To gain insight into the role The House chatted with former Governor General, the Right Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand, who was our Sovereign's official representative for five years from mid-2006.
The Governor General is deep in the DNA of Parliament

2 weeks ago | radionz.co.nz | Phil Smith

RNZ show The House talks about Parliament a lot. Yet, in more than eight years, one crucial part of Parliament has been largely ignored: the role of the Governor General, who is part of both Parliament and the Executive. To gain insight into the role The House chatted with former Governor General, the Right Honourable Sir Anand Satyanand, who was our Sovereign's official representative for five years from mid-2006.
The House: Why was the Privileges Committee so harsh on Te Pāti Māori MPs?

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

This article has been updated to remove the opinion of the author. Analysis: On Wednesday, Parliament's Privileges Committee released its final report into the MPs who protested the Treaty Principles Bill with a haka in the House in November 2024. There was surprise and shock over the recommended punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs, which seemed both unprecedented and extreme.
The House: Parliamentary privileges - Race as an aggravating factor?

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Analysis: On Wednesday, Parliament's Privileges Committee released its final report into the MPs who protested the Treaty Principles Bill with a haka in the House in November 2024. There was surprise and shock over the recommended punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs, which seemed both unprecedented and extreme.
Shouting out, singing in: Rockquest at Parliament

4 weeks ago | radionz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Last Wednesday at Parliament was unusually fraught. The House was under urgency and debating whether to walk back pay equity legislation and rework wildlife protection law to ease infrastructure projects. By the time the House reached its dinner break, a change of energy was more than welcome. Luckily, in the room next door (the old upper chamber), a function was launching the nationwide school-age performing arts event that began life as the Smokefree Rockquest.
Shouting out, singing in: Rockquest at Parliament

4 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Last Wednesday at Parliament was unusually fraught. The House was under urgency and debating whether to walk back pay equity legislation and rework wildlife protection law to ease infrastructure projects. By the time the House reached its dinner break, a change of energy was more than welcome. Luckily, in the room next door (the old upper chamber), a function was launching the nationwide school-age performing arts event that began life as the Smokefree Rockquest.
Pay equity amendment puzzles

1 month ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

The government has walked back pay equity legislation and killed 33 incomplete settlement cases, in a surprise bill debated under urgency this week. Debate over the bill included not just the bill's intent, but also why it was being passed in haste, and why it was happening now. When the initial plan for Parliament's week was released by the government, it was to pass legislation under urgency all week. But the list of bills up for debate looked scanty.
MPs give pope a tardy but honest obituary

1 month ago | rnz.co.nz | Phil Smith

Parliament is sitting again after a three week hiatus. It's pretty normal that when MPs return after a break there is a backlog of things for them to deal with. This week was no exception, with incoming reports, petitions, bills, urgent debate requests - even the resignation of an MP. Numerous events that might have deserved a motion from the House missed out.