Sunlight is beginning to shine into the last dark corners of Parliament. Green MP Holly Walker's bill to bring transparency and public disclosure around lobbying directed at MPs and their staff progressed in Parliament yesterday - see: Lobbying Bill Progresses. Many MPs say they have concerns over the practicalities of how the law would work, so significant changes to the proposed legislation are likely before it could be passed. It has already had an impact, however, with Speaker Lockwood Smith bowing to pressure to disclose lobbyists who have been given parliamentary swipe cards (meaning they do not have to go through security each time they visit). The list itself contains no surprises, although we haven't been told the most interesting information - anyone who gave up their cards rather than allow their name to be made public - see Claire Trevett's Speaker names 15 who hold the cards. The NBR has a more detailed breakdown of those they label the 'Swiper-ati' - see Rob Hosking's Parliamentary swipe card list tears lid off secret society.
MPs' pay, perks and spending have always been of much public interest but the Speaker was still resisting full disclosure by insisting on giving evidence behind closed doors to a select committee hearing on MPs' perks and conditions, to the apparent annoyance of the Prime Minister - see Tracy Watkins' Lobbyists with free access to Parliament.
Some parliamentary spending still remains secret though with the Auditor-General, Office of the Clerk and Parliamentary Services all off-limits to Official Information requests. The Law Commission is recommending that this change -see Isaac Davison's Law commission: MP spending should be public. The logic that all publicly funded agencies should be open to scrutiny will be hard to resist. This is a bold proposal - and it would have significant ramifications for the parties and politicians surreptitiously using millions of dollars of taxpayer funding each year on partisan campaigning. David Farrar also likes the suggestion that public agencies should be more pro-active in releasing official information - see The OIA review.
A silly spat broke out yesterday during the first reading of the bill to extend paid parental leave. National MP Maggie Barry questioned Jacinda Adern's expertise on the subject by pointing out that Adern has no children. This prompted an outcry amongst Labour MPs and there were calls for an apology from Barry, which was refused- see Kate Shuttleworth's MP snipes at Labour rival's lack of children. Although the comment was irrelevant - all taxpayers will be footing the bill regardless of their parental status and MPs have to be able to speak on issues they may have no direct personal experience with - the response from some Labour MPs was a bit precious as Cathy Odgers writes in More Labour Faux Outrage. Keeping Stock has a list of insults that Labour has hurled at opponents over the years (see: Wethinks he doth protest too much) and Ardern herself probably has the most sensible response - see Ardern 'won't lose sleep' over child jibe. As the paid parental leave bill shows, Peter Dunne is sometimes a useful ally against the Government writes Claire Trevett - see: Opposition should use vote of 'rubber man' while it lasts.
Other important or interesting political items today include:
