Parliament's $30k doors no open and shut case

Investigative Reporter·NZ Herald·

2 Jun, 2015 09:43 PM2 mins to read

Judith Collins started a war of words between the parties, tweeting that it was sad that Labour had insisted on the costly measure. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Taxpayers will stump up $30,000 to put in a set of double doors to separate opposing MPs in Parliament, it has been confirmed.

Parliamentary Service said this morning that the cost reflected the fact the new doors had to be in keeping with the heritage features of Parliament House.

Labour and National Party MPs have offices near each other on Parliament's second floor.
National MP Judith Collins started a war of words between the parties yesterday, tweeting that it was sad that Labour had insisted on the measure that she had been told would cost $50,000.

Sad that @nzlabour has insisted on$50k doors between Lab & Nat MPs on Parlt's 2nd floor @melissaleemp @cjsbishop pic.twitter.com/MdUp8wiA52
— Judith Collins (@JudithCollinsMP) June 2, 2015

Labour's chief whip, Chris Hipkins, fired back, pointing the finger at National for proposing the doors be put in.

Ms Collins told the Herald the installation of the doors was petty and unnecessary.

"We have been told that our previous arrangement that Annette King and I arranged when we came into Parliament after this last election - that we could walk down each other's corridors to use the lift and loo and kitchen - is no longer to be in place. And, as of next week, there will be these very expensive, lovely kauri doors put in to keep us from them, and them from us."

National's chief whip, Tim Macindoe, had told her and other affected National MPs that Labour had asked that the doors be put up.

Ms Collins said the doors would be controlled by swipe card, allowing press gallery members and others to pass through, but not MPs.

Mr Hipkins said Labour had simply accepted a proposal by National MP Gerry Brownlee after the election.

"Basically they wanted to take a bunch of offices off us ... which we reluctantly agreed to."

Mr Macindoe said he had been told yesterday by Mr Hipkins about the earlier proposal by Mr Brownlee, but he only became aware of the situation earlier this year when he was asked if National wanted the doors.

"I immediately canvassed National MPs on that floor who all agreed it wasn't needed, but we were subsequently advised that Labour MPs wanted it so it would be installed.