Synopsis
Legislation, issues and insights from Parliament.
Episodes
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Adjournment debate: It's déjà vu all over again
19/12/2025 Duration: 13minEvery 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
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On their final day MPs consider quality of our final years
17/12/2025 Duration: 05minOn 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
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MPs on Bondi attack: Theme and variations
16/12/2025 Duration: 05minParliament’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
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Parliament gets urgent on voting rules and climate targets
13/12/2025 Duration: 11minIn 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
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Penultimate week of the year begins with RMA shakeup
10/12/2025 Duration: 05minParliament'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
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Parliament’s gentle pre-Christmas slowdown anything but gentle
09/12/2025 Duration: 05minRather 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
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Scrutiny Week: Politics, oversight and attention
06/12/2025 Duration: 12minParliament'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
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Number crunching continues amid high profile scrutiny squabbles
04/12/2025 Duration: 05minHeadlines 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
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Scrutiny Week: A cascade of diminishing attention
03/12/2025 Duration: 05minParliament’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
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Scrutiny week kicks off with high profile issues dominating exchanges
01/12/2025 Duration: 06minThe 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
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Urgency ends early after voting gaffe
30/11/2025 Duration: 14minA 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
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Parliament's penultimate sitting block brings long nights in the House
23/11/2025 Duration: 13minUrgency 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
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Voting process slows but doesn't stop bills under urgency
21/11/2025 Duration: 05minMPs 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
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Clean vehicle bill passed under urgency
20/11/2025 Duration: 05minA 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
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MPs debate the details under urgency
19/11/2025 Duration: 05minMPs 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
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13 bills get urgency treatment in penultimate sitting block of 2025
18/11/2025 Duration: 05minIn 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
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Loophole results in 11 day submission period for fast track amendments
16/11/2025 Duration: 13minA 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
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Government completes four bills in a week of political sideshows
13/11/2025 Duration: 05minAmidst 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
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The House: Parliament reacts to the Jevon McSkimming scandal
12/11/2025 Duration: 05minQuestion 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
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Question time directs rare question to non-Ministerial MP
11/11/2025 Duration: 04minQuestion 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