Rnz: The House

Before each budget comes a political vanguard of announcements and trailers. Parliament has its own, less political signs that a budget is about to arrive.

The Annual Review Debate allows Parliament to grill government ministers on performance in their areas, unless someone runs out of time first. They did.

Members of the public give some last-minute advice to the Government about its budget plans, via committee hearings into the Budget Policy Statement.

In the lead-up to the Budget, Parliament goes over the head of the Government, asking the Governor General to add in some cash for Parliament's three watch-dogs.

James Shaw's valedictory statement included thanks, humour, yarns, surprising allies, warnings and advice for MPs on avoiding the endless policy tug-of-war.

This week Parliament hosted both American and Ukrainian delegations. We chat with Galyna Mykhailiuk, who lead the visiting Ukrainian MPs.

MPs listen to hundreds of Select Committee submissions. But occasionally, like Camilla Belich today, they get to sit on the other side of the table themselves.

The Annual Review Debate begins this week, when Parliament quizzes ministers about past performance. Kieran McAnulty explains...

Over the last six years, parliament's clerks have had to vet about 40,000 written questions each year. So how are written questions used and what are the democratic benefits?

The latest from the House

MPs have some of the highest pressure jobs in New Zealand, and the stressors aren't always what you might think. So does anyone help them carry the load, and how do they personally cope?

It was a sitting block of just one week but it had its share of surprises, routine stuff and signs of a changing culture around scrutiny at committee level.

Members Day this week had it all: surprise votes, big and niche issues, success and failure. A bill from a retiring MP led to an environmental rights debate which included gaping philosophical divides and a parting shot.

The work of the Auditor-General's office features often in this week's select committee hearings at Parliament, and for good reason.

The Speaker has begun steering ministerial answers away from outright attacks on the previous government, and towards answers. The road to positivity for new governments is long and difficult.

Petitions to Parliament don't always result in a change to law or policy as intended, but they can be an effective way of the public getting a message to those in power.

As he departs from Parliament, Grant Roberson outlines the skills and requirements for being a successful MP, and what he would replace Question Time with.

A look at the tactics of primary questions during Question Time, with help from Grant Robertson, Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee.

The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament.

This week's sitting of Parliament began with two finance bills that have deadlines attached.