Two months after the vote, MPs back to work

Parliament will today begin its first day of normal work since the September 17 election with question time and the start of the debate in reply to the speech from the throne, led off by new list MP Shane Jones.

The governing party usually selects a promising MP to lead off the debate, known as the address-in-reply debate.

His will be the first of many maiden speeches this week and next week.

The so-called speech from the throne, delivered last week by Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, is in fact a speech from the Government, setting out its policy priorities for the next three years.

The address-in-reply debate will culminate next week in the first confidence vote for the Labour-led minority Government.

Mr Jones will chair the influential finance and expenditure select committee and, barring scandals, is expected to be elevated to a ministerial post before long.

His speech will be followed by another new Labour list MP, Sue Moroney, then by National leader Don Brash, then Prime Minister Helen Clark.

National's first day of attack on the Government in question time is expected to be somewhat dampened by the absence of New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the Apec (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting in South Korea.

The Opposition believes it can make a lot more mileage out of the unprecedented arrangements for Government which give Mr Peters and Peter Dunne, the United Future leader and Revenue Minister, the ability to oppose the Government in areas outside their responsibility.

It may try to exploit discrepancies between the arrangements for Government and Cabinet Office advice which says Mr Peters and Mr Dunne are "part of the government", despite their denying it.

Parliament's timetable was changed last week after the death of Greens co-leader Rod Donald.

The Greens' replacement MP, Nandor Tanczos, will attend the party's caucus meeting this morning but is not expected to be sworn in today.

National list MP Pansy Wong will be sworn in, having been absent at a conference in Beijing last week.

Maiden speeches this week

* Today
3.20pm: Shane Jones, Labour, list
3.50pm: Sue Moroney, Labour, list

* Tomorrow
3.20pm: Pita Sharples, Maori Party, Tamaki Makaurau
3.45pm: Paula Bennett, National, list
4.10pm: Chris Finlayson, National, list
4.25pm: Maryan Street, Labour, list
4.40pm: Bob Clarkson, National, Tauranga
5.15pm: Darien Fenton, Labour, list

* Thursday
3.20pm: David Bennett, National, Hamilton East
3.55pm: Kate Wilkinson, National, list
4.20pm: John Hayes, National, Wairarapa
4.45pm: Nathan Guy, National, list
5.10pm: Allan Peachey, National, Tamaki
5.35pm: Colin King, National, Kaikoura

(Times subject to change)