Shane Reti in Parliament. The Whangīrei-based National Party list MP says MPs should have the ability to authorise travel exemptions during pandemics. Photo / NZME
Shane Reti in Parliament. The Whangīrei-based National Party list MP says MPs should have the ability to authorise travel exemptions during pandemics. Photo / NZME
FROM PARLIAMENT
This year has been a roller coaster in more ways than one and may well be defined as the coronavirus year. A challenge of biblical proportions that will sit alongside the reflections of, where were you on 9/11, and now, where were you during coronavirus 2020?
In my view thechallenge of coronavirus and especially the first lockdown at level 4 substantiated the absolute privilege of being an MP.
Could there be a better form of representation than directly helping people in immediate need with travel exemptions for example? The magic in this was around three things:
A trusted representative Timeliness of response Local knowledge.
My own personal observation is that in times of urgency such as a pandemic, MPs should be used more and be permissioned with tools such as the ability to authorise travel exemptions.
I do believe as an opposition that we have also contributed this year in a positive way to coronavirus outcomes and lifted our collective bar.
Together with public opinion we worked for an early border closure which eventually occurred in March, albeit conjecturally several days later than we might have.
PPE in the right place and the right time was harried and confirmed with an independent report.
Contact tracing that failed to contact people in a timely manner was improved under parliamentary scrutiny and a further report.
Testing that was absent, the use of throat swabs instead of nasal swabs, or case definitions that were simply too hard were all raised and received attention.
Parliament buildings in Wellington. Shane Reti says the work done by the epidemic response committee was maybe one of the most open and transparent moments in parliament this year. Photo / NZME
Isolation facility policies that were not testing border workers as promised were aired and immediately attended to.
Across many areas then, our constructive role as an opposition has improved our collective safety.
In this respect I am particularly proud of the work done by the epidemic response committee this year, a committee formed in April as a construct agreed by Parliament for the purpose of replacing scrutiny of the government that was removed under lockdown.
Over two hours on any given committee day, one might hear commentary from the Road Transport Forum, Port Company CEOs Group, Fed Farmers, Meat NZ, the Tourism Industry Association and Restaurant Association of New Zealand.
Or on another day: NZMA, NZ Aged Care Association, Pharmacy Guild, NZ Disability Support Network, NZ Dental Association and then those which serve the most vulnerable such as Auckland City Mission and the National Collective of Independent Women's Refuge.
This was a very effective committee which truly lifted the bar on our collective response and was maybe one of the most open and transparent moments in Parliament this year, and one of the most effective for carrying the citizens' voice.
The utility of the committee in my view arose from the fact the opposition had both a majority on the committee as well as having the chairperson's role.
In reflecting on some of the collective legislative responses forced upon us by the pandemic, it is my hope that we can take the very best of parliamentary practice this year and carry it with us into next.
There will always be issues across Parliament where we agree with and then those that we disagree with, but as a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson states, "we can disagree but not be disagreeable".
I wish you all a safe and happy new year.
• Dr Shane Reti QSM is deputy leader of the National Party and a list MP based in Whangārei.
