Rnz: The House

Ever wanted a job that combines a very public tight-rope walk with solving fiendish puzzles? Helping The Leader of the House wrangle Parliament's Order Paper is just the thing.

Lobbyists are often portrayed as political bogeymen (or women). But what do they actually do and how? The House chats with two of them.

There is new research on how Parliament's rules change, and the researcher gets to observe that change very closely - Parlament's Clerk of the House.

Parliament tussled through another long week of urgency, and more besides. The House weekend edition has a stormy debate on ferries, five new bills for comment, and submissions on restoring Samoan citizenship rights.

Parliament had another week of urgency and a new list of bills. Five now need public feedback on things ranging from charter schools, and medicine regulations, to three strikes sentencing.

Parliament is hearing submissions on a bill that would create a route to restore NZ citizenship for those Samoans who had that right removed in 1982.

Parliament's urgent debate on the recent ferry grounding was a rollicking ride, and you might say the Speaker was to blame.

The House covers the beginning of Scrutiny Week - when Parliament makes the Government really work to get its budget approved.

Despite Parliament having supremacy, governments often play the boss. This week the tables will turn as ministers face up to backbenchers for Parliament's first Scrutiny Week.

Parliament has a long-held reputation for bad bosses and even worse behaviour. One solution is a new independent role to hear complaints.

Budget Day in photos: Facts, attacks, stories, protests, pantomime and proclamations.

After the Budget Debate begins, it's usual to go into urgency to progress some government bills quickly through the House, or as is the case so far this year - not so quickly.

Once the Budget Statement is delivered, what happens next? The House looks beyond the initial announcement to the three different processes that follow it, sometimes concurrently.

Like the calm before a storm, Wednesday evening at Parliament was not about the budget. It was a Members' Day including a bill on cellar door tastings. We sip it with its sponsor Stuart Smith.

It's budget week at Parliament, but Thursday's announcement is just the beginning of a long process of the Government convincing Parliament to fund its ideas.

Parliament begins its election inquiry with a double-header and finds that blame is something of a boomerang.

The Justice Committee has begun its inquiry into last year's election. It got some pretty solid and very polite suggestions right up front.

Changes to tenancy laws and the removal of Treaty obligations from Oranga Tamariki - two proposed new laws ask for public feedback.

Parliament has been hearing submissions on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. The House outlines the Bill and a variety of submissions.

We talk with the Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, about Question Time, MP porkies, and stepping above the fray after 27 years or partisan politics, to instead become 'Parliament's man'.