Covid-19 NZ: National and ACT reject plan for virtual Parliament and Question Time
A plan for virtual sittings of Parliament held under level 3 or 4 lockdown has been rejected by National and ACT.
The plan was discussed by the Business Committee, where any major decision needs to the agreement of both National and Labour.
But National and ACT have rejected the proposal, that would have allowed MPs to attend the House by videolink and Question Time to be held.
This could lead to the House remaining suspended as Labour argue it is too dangerous for it to return.
The bullshit in their justification is extraordinary. The difference between the PM and her bubble doing necessary media briefings vs the entire House sitting is so enormous only a fuckwit National Party clown would attempt to defend it.
By refusing the virtual options presented to them for the most facetious reasons, National and ACT are playing a different game.
By ‘denying Parliament’ National and ACT want to paint Labour out as the totalitarian police state fantasy their most rabid supporters are claiming Jacinda represents.
This isn’t about public health, democracy or accountability, it’s a sick game to pretend Jacinda is a dictator.
It’s like Billy TK is running National’s media strategy.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media
I thought she was.
Amongst claims that there is a ‘lack of leadership’ and ‘dictator’ it’s hard to work out which way is up, or what people want or expect.
Oh come on John, you never think. Your soundbites aren’t a thought process.
Well that is why National lost the election and seats they had held for decades many NZers finally saw through there charade. As for Act they aren’t any better if they had there way the poor would be put on another island like survivor. Acts policies will further exacerbate inequalities and poverty. And both National and Act are toxic desperately seeking relevance.
Now there’s a thought, image? “All the MP’s in parliament salivating and spreading Delta amongst themselves!
That would be worth paying for pay-to-view-tv for that session!
Clean’em all out!
From that Stuff link above:
“Collins said she would be keen to travel to Wellington from Auckland to participate as an essential worker.”
Essential workers have to be fit for purpose.
Essential workers cannot pose unnecessary risks to the lives of others.
That moronic lot, with their readiness to put the lives of others at risk shows them to be not only unfit, but posing a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER to us all!!
By ‘denying Parliament’ National and ACT want to paint Labour out as the totalitarian police state fantasy their most rabid supporters are claiming Jacinda represents.
I disagree – That is not what I am seeing.
Yes, it is the false narrative they’re spinning, but what they are really trying to do is show Jacinda up as being weak. Weak little girly-mamma Cindy. They are banking on her to cave and to allow them to travel, thus making a sick, sick joke of the Lockdown for everyone else.
AO/ NZ respects MANA, respects strength. And that is what we need the most right now!
Can Jacinda stay strong?
Damn I hope so!!
Yeah I hope Jacinda swats them all back, Act and National are the ‘throw open the borders’ crowd. And we all know what happened when they got their way and created the trans Tasman bubble, – our wonderful nation was infected by delta variant from bloody New South Wales.
Arseholes.
No wonder Mr Hawira is up in arms ffs!!!
when they got their way and created the trans Tasman bubble
Yes. We’re living with the consequences of that decision, now.
Un-be-frigging-lievable!!!!
Listen to Chris Bishop SAYING that the job of the opposition is to “gum up the works”and prevent the govt from governing: https://thestandard.org.nz/gumming-up-the-works
Not kidding. Not exaggerating. See for yourself.
“Oversight”?
“Holding to account”???
What a pathetic joke.
It was Chris Bishop who advocated (his word) for those two Covid positive women to come in from the UK during the 2020 lockdown, and to get early release for “compassionate” reasons. Those two women left a trail of hotspots between Auckland and Wellington.
Immediately after that Matthew Hooton congratulated Bishop on twitter for his “advocacy” skills, and suggested he should do more of it. I read Hooton’s comment as an attempt at wit, as dry sarcasm. Bishop, however, seemed to take it at face value, as an endorsement of what he had achieved! He replied by referencing another example of his advocacy (something to do with helping someone in his electorate). He seemed to be proud of what he had “achieved” by getting those UK Covid cases released into the community.
…Which did not make sense until now, when he talks about the role of the opposition being to “gum up the works” and to “stop the govt from governing”.
Bishop is the shadow minister for Covid response.
Scary fuck. Shall we lynch him?
Judith should have ditched him from the Shadow Ministry completely.
This topic is naked tribal. Very simply – have testing regimes, bubbles and social distancing. If it is good enough for the government it is good enough for the opposition.
When people realise this is the new norm for the next 15 months the least you will worry about is semantic posts such as this.
I didn’t think yours a semantic post Fwank, not this time anyway but if you say so. In 15 months you”ll be beating the same drum.
Sad that some who stand as an MP regardless of party, can’t see that a video link for Parliament is a sensible idea. Shame on them. As an older person I won’t forget there disregard for us. The expendables
Whilst Parliament TV is the only reality TV that I watch, I have no problem that is suspended as what do they actually achieve by sitting? Aren’t the select committees operating virtually? All parliamentarians do is declare/bitch/moan/whinge/jesticulate/err/guffaw/interject/insult/ask for the speaker to be stood down/stupify/read speeches and generally have a laugh at someone else’s expence and now that Winnie is out of it, it’s not even that entertaining any more so good riddance.
Why wasn’t Jacinda and co giving the 1 pm sermon by video link then?
It’s all politics, every-last-leaflet-delivery-in-level-4-multiple-times-over of it.
Labour has no moral high ground.
What about all the support staff required for parliament to run, and those required to transport them to Wellington that would be put at risk by opening parliament? Oh, thats right the Opposition don’t care about them.
Given the inane questions from both sides in Question Time absolutely nothing would be achieved by opening parliament.
Dead right.
Yes National has no moral high ground.
It’s pretty simple, when in the Chamber wear your mask at all times, ‘act like you have Covid’, keep 2 metres apart and most of all, ‘be kind’. If you don’t want to represent your voters, and work like others in the service sector are doing during lockdown, then quit and let someone else have a go.
Ethan, parliamentary Question Time is pure theatre and achieves nothing of any value so in no way can be considered ‘essential’. The real work of parliament continues so not sure what your point is.
How many support staff are you prepared to put at risk to reopen parliament?
It is really simple, the more that people stay at home the sooner the outbreak will be ring-fenced, does the opposition not want the lockdown to be successful?
Agree Peter, good critical thinking.
Agree Ethan
Parliament should be sitting even if that’s at reduced numbers. If I can go to work with 1200 other people at a meat works, there is no excuses for Parliament not sitting.
Firstly MB, thank-you for being a real ‘essential’ worker; starvation would not be a good way to surpress the virus.
An important point is your team of 1200 are locals and politicians commute from all around the country creating the risk of inter-region spread; something that would destroy any hope of a move to L3 for everyone except Auckland. Also your work is essential, question time in parliament is not; there are plenty of ways the government’s actions could be questioned without the need of inter-region travel.
Saying that because you have to go to work they should have to go to Wellington is simply not a valid reason for it to be seen as wise or acceptable.
I respectfully disagree with you.
MB, thanks, but it would be helpful for the discussion if you would share the reasoning behind your disagrement.
Good on you MickeyBoyle.You and your friends are keeping NZ ticking over.
Jacinda Ardern and her Government think they are above the fundamentals of democracy.
John, not sure what the fundamentals are you refer to. We have a government democratically elected to govern, they hold under the MMP system a majority of seats in Parliament. What exactly are the fundamentals of democracy you believe are being ignored?
I suspected as much. You summarize the vileness. Our mostly good (in comparison) Right thinks it’s not the full handshake with the Devil of Oz and Amerika.
I’m afraid most of these idiots who believe that are in my own immediate family. Makes me think so well of NZers in general. My real family.
Refusing to be questioned in the house is to me fundamental.
John, that is a part of the Westminster system, debately not all of which is based on democratic fundamentals.
What democratic fundamental is ignored by questions being asked on-line? Given that ‘in house’ obviously greatly increases the risk of further spread of the virus do you not care if lock down has to be extended?
I can only agree with Martyn’s point that National & Acts refusal is just cheap politics and demonstrates again that they don’t get it – it is a virus we are fighting to save lives and untold misery; trying to make political capital out of it by putting us all at increased risk is beneath contemptable.
If MickeyBoyle and his workmates can manage a group of 1200 then the government should be able to.I accept regards coming from different areas.
I just struggle to believe that this is not a political move by Labour.
Telephone conversations are not available to the wider public.
Having a Government that is not allowing its opposition a voice is in my view undemocratic.
Of course I want to see the end of lockdowns.
Anyway I respect as always your views.
Thanks John, and I respect your right to your views.
To me it is simple, the more we all stay at home the better our chances of stemming the spread. Parliament is often in recess and the world does actually continue to function quite well.
I’m sure a ZOOM Question Time could be broadcast on Parliament TV.
The country’s right wing media are giving National ample coverage of holding Labour to account unless of course you’ve been living in a different country.
The government is doing nothing of the sort in the vast majorities view.
Thanks Peter
Comments are closed.