Johnny Blades

This week in The House Phil Smith talks the tactics of Question Time while Johnny Blades looks at the unified division of debate over the new Matariki Public Holiday. Audio

Debate on the Te Kāhui Matariki Public Holiday Bill found everyone in agreement that the start of the Māori lunar calendar should be marked, but not everyone agreeing a new public holiday should go… Audio

A new Bill looks to make life easier for people affected by major disasters, following the human disaster created by shortcomings of the Earthquake Commission in its response to the Christchurch… Audio

Surrogacy arrangements can often be difficult legal and health processes to navigate for intending parents and surrogates. A new Member’s Bill is looking to make it a smoother process that enhances… Audio

A motion in Parliament to mark the third anniversary of the Christchurch mosque terror attacks found MPs reflecting on how there is still work to do to counter extremism and hate speech. Audio

On Wednesday Parliament unanimously passed a law allowing sanctions in relation to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Here's how it works. Audio

The notion that MPs are people of honour who must be taken at their word was briefly tested in a skirmish which resulted in the first ejection of an MP from the chamber this year. Audio

This week, not only did MPs have to contend with a riot on their front lawn, they also had to come to grips with a new hybrid parliament in which some members participated by Zoom. Audio

Parliament has passed a law to establish a roadside oral fluid testing regime to test for recent drug use, and proposes that drivers who fail two consecutive oral fluid tests would incur an… Audio

This week in the House began with a motion in support of Ukraine and it will end with a special debate on a bill not even yet introduced. Chris Hipkins explains some of the parliamentary week's… Audio