Photo: VNP/Louis Collins
The tone of Parliament is usually argumentative, contentious, and quarrelsome as MPs verbally spar about bills, legislation and what parties on the other side of the debating chamber are doing.
But it's not just MPs being contrary for the sake of it, it's actually by design.
The Government's job is to run the country and this includes putting forward legislation to change or make new laws. The role of the other MPs who are not Ministers, including those in government parties, is to check on what the Government is doing and hold it to account. This is what causes a lot of the arguing.
True to form MPs debated the Fast Track Approvals Amendment Bill on Thursday with the Government talking about how good the Bill is, beginning with the MP in charge, Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop.
"It's very pleasing to introduce this amendment bill for the Fast-track Approvals Act, to promote supermarket competition and to improve the application process so it's more efficient for all fast-track projects," he said.
"The Government is making this change to make it clear to the grocery retail sector that projects that will improve competition are within fast-track scope. It's a range of technical and machinery amendments that are also aimed at speeding up the application process by up to six weeks, or potentially more in some cases. The aim of the changes is to cumulatively reduce time frames, lower costs, improve flexibility, and clarify operational matters."
It is typical at a first reading of a bill for the MP in charge to outline its purpose and for other MPs in government parties to give speeches in support.
Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis said the Bill will help increase competition in the grocery sector.
"The sector is highly concentrated, with the major grocery retailers-Woolworths and Foodstuffs North and South Island-making up 82 percent of the market. While they have different banners and brands underneath them, essentially we have a duopoly in our supermarket sector in New Zealand which contributes to less affordable groceries for everyday Kiwis," she said.
On the other side of the U-shaped chamber is the opposition and as they're not in Government they tend to take to their role of scrutiny with a vast amount of critique of government bills.
Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Bill will have a bigger impact than what is suggested.
"The amendment that's being introduced today, that we are debating today in the House, will introduce a hundred changes that will give Ministers much more power over the consenting process. It will mean that the expert panel will struggle to get the information they need to make better decisions, it reduces the amount of time that the expert panel can make those decisions within, and it limits the right to appeal those decisions. So it brings back the concentration of power that people marched on the streets about-by stealth."
This particular Bill is an amendment bill which means it is making changes to an existing Act. In this case, the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Labour MP Arena Williams said supermarkets can already use this process to speed up a consent process.
"This could have been an opportunity for the Government to introduce to this Parliament a bill that would have dealt with the land supply issues that are a real issue in the supermarket sector. But this bill is one where the grocery retail sector participants can already apply to the Minister to defer a development project for decision making under the fast-track approvals process. This does not change that. It does not introduce a new track for supermarkets to apply to Minister Bishop for special consideration. They already have that."
The Government holds a majority in the House and the Bill passed its first reading. It is now with the Environment Committee for review which is receiving public submissions until 17 November.
While debating the merits of a bill is a core part of an MPs role, there are occasions where they take a break from arguing and an MP's first speech is one of those times.
A maiden statement is a way for new MPs to introduce themselves, outline their political convictions, share anecdotes about their background and upbringing, and make it clear what their aspirations are as an MP.
In his maiden speech on 6 November, new Green Party MP Mike Davison said he had a fairly typical upbringing.
Photo: VNP/Louis Collins
"I came from a working-class family, with a train driver dad, and mum, a childcare worker. It was a stereotypical Kiwi childhood spent tramping and camping with my parents and brother all around Te Waipounamu," he said.
"Politics and protests growing up were part of our family. I remember a photograph in The Press newspaper of a seven-year-old me with my father and brother, in the rain, protesting at a National Government transport amendment bill that would deregulate the railways, encouraging freight on to our roads instead. It was these experiences that shaped me-that laid the foundation."
Maiden speeches are also a chance for MPs to share what has driven them to join the House of Representatives and Davison said climate change was a key issue.
"Climate change is the biggest threat facing us, and, as a coastal country, the impact on Aotearoa is going to be severe; the impact on our Pacific Island neighbours will be much worse. Anthropogenic activities have seen ecosystems destroyed, habitats wiped out, far too many species lost, and thousands more at risk," he said.
"The impacts of a rapidly changing climate will only make this worse. Climate-related events are becoming more intense and more frequent. Many of our coastal communities are being impacted by sea level rise, coastal erosion, and storm surges.
Other communities are at increased risk of pluvial flooding, fire, and drought."
It's also an opportunity for MPs to put on record how they will act during their term as an MP and what they intend to achieve.
"Over the next 12 months, I will work with my Green colleagues to hold this Government to account, to challenge them, and to show the people of Aotearoa what a Government with a green heart will offer our country: a country that upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi, takes real action on climate change, and lifts people out of poverty; a country where everyone has what they need, our water is clean, and nature thrives; where our healthcare system is resourced to meet its needs; where children can safely walk and bike to school; and we all live in warm, dry, affordable homes."
To listen to The House's programme in full, click the link near the top of the page.
RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk.
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