At 2pm Tuesday PQT host Martyn Bradbury was joined by MP Gareth Hughes: (direct from the debating chamber) to take part in TDB Live’s Parliamentary Question Time feature PQT. The following is a transcript of the commentary:
1:30 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It’s 14 degrees in Wellington
1:30 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Humidity is 76%
1:30 PM: Martyn Bradbury: a cool wind of 6km per hour wafts across Parliament lawns
1:31 PM: Martyn Bradbury: We are joined live from the debating chamber at question time today by Gareth Hughes who will be live commentating Parliament Question Time
1:35 PM Gareth Hughes: Looking forward to starting this at 2
1:58 PM : Gareth Hughes: Have just takwn my seat. MPs filing in
1:58 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Welcome
1:58 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Big day with Pita’s announcement
1:59 PM : Gareth Hughes: will have to apologise for spelling in advance. Im pretty bad at the best of times and will try and tap as fast as I can
1:59 PM : Gareth Hughes: Yup big day in Parliament, after a 1 week recess, just after Ikaroa Rawhiti, and lots happening.
2:00 PM: Martyn Bradbury: The Speaker entering the House
2:01 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Immediatly starts mauling the Maori language
2:03 PM : Gareth Hughes: Good to see some Reo in the House, but the big question is, did the Speaker practise…at all?
2:03 PM: Martyn Bradbury: …at
2:04 PM: Martyn Bradbury: all…..?
2:04 PM : Gareth Hughes: I’m not normlly here for the prayer, I find it terrible we have an Anglican prayer in NZs Parliament. I would prefer a nonreligious and definitley a non-sectarian acknowledgement, preferrably also in
2:04 PM : Gareth Hughes: Te Reo
2:05 PM : Gareth Hughes: Great to be here on this platofrm today. Thanks The Daily Blog for this piece of innovation
2:05 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Yes the prayer seems dated doesn’t it?
2:05 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Welcome, you of course are a veteran of online discussions
2:06 PM: Martyn Bradbury: The Greens lead at that type of online interaction with voters and should be saluted
2:06 PM : Gareth Hughes: I’m asking a question today at Q12 so I wont comment on that
2:06 PM: Martyn Bradbury: I’ll say eneough for both of us
2:06 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 1 Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?
2:06 PM : Gareth Hughes: Interesting the Govt just blocked a non-debatable motion on UN Security Council, given it had been negotiated and agreed to in advance
2:07 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Winston probing on the Kim Dotcom details
2:07 PM : Gareth Hughes: Peters asks the good ‘ol catch all question, that at least makes sure the PM doesn’t try and pass it on to another minister
2:08 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Mr Key giving him nothing
2:08 PM: Martyn Bradbury: DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?
2:09 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Key answers with a snip at Shearer’s leadership
2:09 PM : Gareth Hughes: Shearer versus Key on husing
2:09 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Shearer bounces back asking questiuons about home affordability
2:09 PM : Gareth Hughes: Im not sure if you can hear it on the telly or live stream Key has this wierd intake of air through his teeth after answering a question
2:10 PM: Martyn Bradbury: like a lizard man
2:10 PM : Gareth Hughes: Housing is a key political question facing our country and I doubt many Kiwis have confidence in National delivering
2:10 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Key is comfortable with it, shrugs off any real questions about housing affordability
2:11 PM : Gareth Hughes: It’s amazing how ‘relaxed’ he is about everything. More laid back than a Gisborne Sunday afternoon
2:12 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It plays to NZs anti-intellectualism doesn’t it though?
2:12 PM: Martyn Bradbury: If Key is comfortable all the time, there isn’t any reason to debate
2:12 PM : Gareth Hughes: yes, and I think he is a master at going over the press gallery direct to Kiwis
2:12 PM : Gareth Hughes: Labour now on capital gains tax
2:13 PM : Gareth Hughes: this is something you would expect National would support
2:13 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Capital Gains tax is hard isn’t it Gareth? Most NZers who own property have a false sense of wealth through their over valued property values
2:13 PM : Gareth Hughes: Goldsmith the new chair of Finance and Expenditure Committee asking on economy
2:13 PM: Martyn Bradbury: which politician will pop that delusion of wealth with a capital gains tax?
2:14 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 3 PAUL GOLDSMITH to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on business and economic conditions in New Zealand?
2:14 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Patsy from Goldsmith
2:14 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Bill English doing a good job of keeping Judith Collins at bay as the next leader
2:14 PM : Gareth Hughes: on CGT I want a fair, system that encourages productive investment not speculation in housing that pushes up the price of housing away from low and middle income Kiwis.
2:15 PM : Gareth Hughes: …you think English next leader?
2:15 PM : Gareth Hughes: I remember when he was last leader!
2:15 PM: Martyn Bradbury: But how do you sell that notion to a middle class whose only investment is inflated property prices?
2:15 PM: Martyn Bradbury: I don’t think Bill wants to sit on the throne of swords
2:15 PM: Martyn Bradbury: I think he likes being the Kings Hand
2:16 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It’s not Parliamentary Question Time commentary session without a GoT reference
2:16 PM : Gareth Hughes: nice analogy. So who are the Greens in GOT?
2:16 PM: Martyn Bradbury: oh that’s a good question
2:17 PM: Martyn Bradbury: The family who all got murdered at the wedding
2:17 PM: Martyn Bradbury: by the Labour Party
2:17 PM: Martyn Bradbury: David Parker pointing out the rising inequality
2:17 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Rising inequality the big issue for 2014 Gareth?
2:18 PM : Gareth Hughes: say it ‘aint so! The Wildings breaching The Wall maybe?
2:18 PM : Gareth Hughes: yes it is, asnd has been for a number of years. Good to see Labour asking about jobs. Its a huge problem.
2:18 PM: Martyn Bradbury: How are oil and gas a long term economic industry Gareth?
2:18 PM : Gareth Hughes: Fracking and risky deep sea drilling isn’t the answer
2:19 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Big Rus stepping up
2:19 PM : Gareth Hughes: It has lowest job producing potential of any sector in Taranaki economy, profits flow offshore, $46m in tax breaks this year and forth lowest royalty plus tax rate in the world
2:19 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his answer to written question 07314 (2013) when he said: “The inquiry team, itself, did not seek permission from Peter Dunne before it obtaine
2:19 PM: Martyn Bradbury: obtained his email logs” and does he think it should have?
2:20 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Did Henry Inq. get persmission from Dunne for email logs?
2:20 PM: Martyn Bradbury: ‘need to check, best of my knolwdge no’ is the answer
2:20 PM : Gareth Hughes: Dodgy, dodgy saga for the Govt
2:20 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Where has Key gotten his authority to spy on Dunne
2:21 PM : Gareth Hughes: suprised he didnt say he was relaxed
2:22 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Looking for written questions – he’s on thin ice here
2:22 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Trying to use Russel’s demand for transperancy as a justifictation to spy on Peter Dunne’s emails – totally stagering
2:23 PM : Gareth Hughes: yeah amazing
2:23 PM : Gareth Hughes: key just goes on attack and wont front
2:23 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It obviously wasn’t ‘quite clear’ that Key spelt out he was going to invade a politicians privacu to view emails between them and a journalist
2:24 PM : Gareth Hughes: thats the key question, who gave Henry the authority to acess Dunne’s info?
2:24 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Who authorised Henry to do it? We can’t have the bloody PM authorizing these sort of things – he isn’t a King!
2:26 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Turning this on Russel is pretty absurd
2:26 PM: Martyn Bradbury: The PM has gone well beyond his powers here
2:27 PM : Gareth Hughes: Just another example of the anti-democratic, secretive and snooping instincs of this Govt
2:28 PM : Gareth Hughes: I dont like the idea the PM has the authority and has snopped on MPs meta data from Parliamentary servers
2:28 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Key is actually worse than Muldoon, not as bad as
2:28 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 5 SIMON O’CONNOR to the Minister of Transport: How will the Government progress the delivery of the next generation of transport projects for Auckland?
2:28 PM : Gareth Hughes: They both operated in different times and contexts but there is an authoritarian, corporate-style big Government similarity between the two
2:29 PM: Martyn Bradbury: As long as whatever public transport benefits SkyCity, National will back it
2:29 PM : Gareth Hughes: Funny watching Gerry back flip on loop
2:29 PM : Gareth Hughes: link, link, I always get emails when I call it the loop not the link
2:29 PM: Martyn Bradbury: If there was no SkyCity stop on the loop, there’s no way they would’ve bothered
2:30 PM: Martyn Bradbury: link
2:30 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Seeing as National are unlikely to be in power in 2020, promising to pay for it when they aren’t the ones paying is p[retty easy
2:30 PM : Gareth Hughes: Its going to be a transformative project for Ak and great they finally support but a little rich given their vehement opposition
2:31 PM : Gareth Hughes: Plenty of silly things Joyce and Brownlee have said about it to remind them of in QT
2:31 PM: Martyn Bradbury: If it’s such a good idea, why aren’t we starting it now?
2:31 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Not 2020
2:31 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Now
2:31 PM : Gareth Hughes: exactly, it’s going to take a while to build so lets get cracking. See I’m not against digging all hole, just the silly
holes for fracking and deep, deep at sea
2:32 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It’s a public transport carrot forever out of reach of Auckland
2:33 PM : Gareth Hughes: Point of Order battle. This Speaker has really reduced info being tabled in Parliament
2:33 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Trev having a go
2:33 PM : Gareth Hughes: I don’t get what the big problem sharing info with MPs is
2:34 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 6
2:34 PM : Gareth Hughes: ….sounds like a date after QT today?
2:34 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Finance: Are the proceeds from selling power companies and other assets being used to pay down debt, to build schools and hospitals, to fund irrigation projects, to
2:34 PM: Martyn Bradbury: to rebuild Christchurch, or to fund Auckland transport projects?
2:35 PM: Martyn Bradbury: selling off public assets to buy new assets isn’t growing the pie, it’s hollowing out all the filling and leaving us with a dry crust
2:35 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Why are we investing in irrigation Gareth?
2:35 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Surely an industry like Dairy can afford their own irrigation program?
2:36 PM: Martyn Bradbury: David Parker swimming up hill here
2:36 PM : Gareth Hughes: well one sector of the NZ economy (that the Govt happens to like very much) wants taxpayer funds to help their profits
2:36 PM: Martyn Bradbury: English shrugging off the obvious flaws in all of this
2:36 PM : Gareth Hughes: its curious why the Govt subsidises intensive dairy and oil, when they are such profitable industries
2:37 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Exactly, why do we have to sell public assets to fund the Dairy industry who are making more from their product than at any other time?
2:38 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Isn’t this sort of corporate welfare the very worst Parliament has to offer?
2:38 PM : Gareth Hughes: English seems to be more combatitive in QT lately I think. He used to focus more on details in a measured manner and lay out the pro and con arguments.
2:38 PM : Gareth Hughes: Must of got a memo from Joyce to attack, attack and attack the Greens and progressive economic ideas some more
2:39 PM: Martyn Bradbury: National are running out of coalition partners, I’d be annoyed and angry as well
2:39 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 7: IAN McKELVIE to the Minister of Police: What updates has she received on how Police are using technology to prevent crime?
2:39 PM: Martyn Bradbury: I’m always dubious about expanding Police powers
2:39 PM : Gareth Hughes: GCSB the answer?
2:39 PM: Martyn Bradbury: there doesn’t seem to be any real oversight of their tactics or behaviour
2:40 PM : Gareth Hughes: No, unlike other countries we seem to have a very weak oversight. “She’ll be right” won’t always be right
2:40 PM: Martyn Bradbury: The question should be, how will we ensure this new technology won’t be abused?
2:41 PM : Gareth Hughes: Technology can help Govt services but no a silver bullet and there are fears how it will be used.
2:41 PM: Martyn Bradbury: With such a low crime rate why are we building more private prisons ?
2:42 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Kris brings up some issues about the devices that were censored before report was sent out
2:43 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 8 JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with The Economist that “inequality is one of the biggest social, economic and political challenges of our time”; if so, what is his
2:43 PM: Martyn Bradbury: what is his Government doing to address the fact that New Zealand now has the widest income gap since detailed records began?
2:43 PM : Gareth Hughes: even I read the Economist!
2:43 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Who doesn’t read the Economist?
2:44 PM: Martyn Bradbury: This is always the problem for Labour when they bring up inequality isn’t it?
2:44 PM : Gareth Hughes: English is fudging and ignoring one of the biggest issues facing our country.
2:44 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Whenever you point out how inequality has grown, it also grew under Labour
2:44 PM : Gareth Hughes: yes, but Labour need to say we could of done more but have a good plan and are committedd to reducing inequaity
2:44 PM : Gareth Hughes: National have been in office a long time now and need to take this seriously
2:45 PM: Martyn Bradbury: We need political parties that will challenge dog whistle talkback rhetoric with real policy that helps the poor, rather than politicians who want to manage dog whistle talkback rhetoric
2:46 PM : Gareth Hughes: yeah. I believe all Kiwis support a fair go for everyone and we don’t have that in NZ in 2013.
2:46 PM: Martyn Bradbury: English in poverty denial now
2:47 PM: Martyn Bradbury: See no inequality. Hear no inequality. Speak no inequality isn’t much of a social policy is it?
2:47 PM : Gareth Hughes: I wonder if the years in a ministerial limo have reduced his access to Kiwis facing real poverty.
2:47 PM : Gareth Hughes: If you spent your time talking to Sky City, Anardarko and Warners I am sure you would have a different take on the world, different to that of a beneficary struggling
2:48 PM: Martyn Bradbury: National seem to think social mobility is being able to get facebook on your i-phone
2:48 PM : Gareth Hughes: ….or a parliamentary cleaner as Ardern points out
2:50 PM : Gareth Hughes: ooooh Collins is so nasty
2:50 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 9 PAUL FOSTER-BELL to the Minister of Justice: How is the Government improving its justice and other services to local communities?
2:50 PM : Gareth Hughes: even in patsy questions she can’t but help a nasty comment. She’s the same on Twitter
2:51 PM: Martyn Bradbury: She is to the right of Caligula
2:51 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 10 Hon LIANNE DALZIEL to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: When was he first made aware of the September IANZ report which warned the Christchurch City Council that “Continued
2:51 PM: Martyn Bradbury: accreditation beyond May 2013 will depend on a satisfactory outcome of that assessment” and was he advised by CERA or a Ministerial colleague?
2:51 PM: Martyn Bradbury: this is an incredible taking over of powers in Christchurch is it not Gareth?
2:52 PM : Gareth Hughes: this is a pretty incredible step taken by IANZ. Wonder what the Govts involvement was?
2:52 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Should Central Government do tis often? To step in and over ride the local authorities?
2:53 PM : Gareth Hughes: No they shouldn’t and it should only be in extraordinary circumstances. Its been used too many times by this Govt
2:53 PM: Martyn Bradbury: It’s a terrible slap in the face to the people of Christchurch is it not?
2:54 PM : Gareth Hughes: I may be wrong but I understand this was an independnet body that removed accreditation. Big question is, what did Govt do to support or work with IANZ
2:54 PM : Gareth Hughes: Is Brownlee now the biggest cheerleader os the man he once called a clown?
2:54 PM: Martyn Bradbury: An independent body answerable to the Government?
2:55 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 11 JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of Broadcasting: What progress has been made on the regional rollout of the digital switchover for New Zealand television viewers?
2:55 PM : Gareth Hughes: About to ask my Maui’s dolphin question. Catch you afterwards
2:56 PM: Martyn Bradbury: What happens to reginional TV after the switch over?
2:56 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Kordia have sold all the frequencies they were supposed to hold onto for regional TV
2:56 PM: Martyn Bradbury: And the Ministry of Culture doesn’t see to have any answers
2:57 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question 1
2: GARETH HUGHES to the Minister of Conservation: Will he implement the recommendations to protect Maui’s dolphins contained in the report of this year’s meeting of the International Whaling
2:57 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Commission Scientific Committee; if not, why not?
2:58 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Good question
3:01 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Didn’t really answer the question did he?
3:02 PM : Gareth Hughes: So the Govt is sitting on their hands as this species goes extinct,
3:02 PM: Martyn Bradbury: I think that’s pretty much their response
3:02 PM : Gareth Hughes: its a real pitty the Speaker didnt make him answer the last question. On one area set net fishing is banned but not trawling, and I want ed to know if he would
3:03 PM: Martyn Bradbury: dolphins don’t vote for National
3:03 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Question to Members: JACINDA ARDERN to the Chairperson of the Social Services Committee: On which date and time, if any, did he receive the Minister for Social Development’s written responses to the
3:03 PM: Martyn Bradbury: pre-hearing questions for the 2013/14 Estimates review for Vote Social Development?
3:03 PM : Gareth Hughes: that’s true fishers may. The fact is, international consumers wont want to buy our seafood if the smallest and rarest dolphin goes extinct
3:03 PM: Martyn Bradbury: JACINDA ARDERN to the Chairperson of the Social Services Committee: On what date did the Minister for Social Development appear before the Committee to answer questions regarding the 2013/14 Estimates
3:04 PM: Martyn Bradbury: review for Vote Social Development?
3:04 PM : Gareth Hughes: Now on Questions for Members, they arent common but a good way to get info our of select committee chairs. Very tight question rules
3:05 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Chairperson of the Education and Science Committee: Did he consider inviting the Minister to appear again to answer questions around responses to questions on the 2013/14
3:05 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Estimates for Vote Education, if so, did he receive any advice about the Minister’s willingness to appear again?
3:05 PM : Gareth Hughes: Thanks very much for the oportunity to be part of this today.
Looking forward to it tomorrow.
3:06 PM: Martyn Bradbury: Thank you Gareth
3:06 PM: Martyn Bradbury: See you tomorrow at 2pm
3:06 PM : Gareth Hughes: I’ve got to go get my caucus prepared for the business of the house today then Business Commitee then speaking on the Royal Sucession Bill
3:06 PM : Gareth Hughes: see ya
Nice one!
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