Transcript: PQT Commentary Tuesday July 2 With Gareth Hughes & Martyn Bradbury

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

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