PODCAST · news
The House
by RNZ
Legislation, issues and insights from Parliament.
Episodes
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Parliament's triennial warrant of fitness
Just about the last thing that happens before a Parliament adjourns for an election is the Review of Standing Orders – Parliament's rules. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Gerry Brownlee on "probably the most comprehensive" Standing Orders review since MMP began
The House sits down with Gerry Brownlee for a chat about some of the more significant changes proposed in this year's review of Standing Orders - Parliament's rules. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Debates: finally complete, incomplete, and unwelcome
Parliament's final week has just two days to finish off government business, so it's pick and choose – win and lose. An unwelcome debate on OIA avoidance won't help. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the…
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Pity the Committee: 48 meeting days, 55 laws
The House on Sunday: The Government has deluged Parliament’s committees with work but starved them of time due to extra debates and urgency. The Justice Committee had it especially tough. Also, Louis looks at some of the bills passed into law during a long week of urgency. *RNZ’s The House, with...
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Eight bills cross the parliamentary finish Line thanks to urgency
In the 54th Parliament's penultimate week, MPs spent hours and hours debating under urgency, with eight bills crossing the third reading finish line *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our...
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Parliament exit interview: Andrew Bayly
Having just made his valedictory speech the night before, the House sat down with Andrew Bayly for a chat about the personal toll of being an MP Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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NZ-India Free Trade legislation brings odd pairings
This week's first completed bill was enabling legislation for the India Free Trade Agreement. A bill that split the coalition and made for odd pairings. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our...
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Cascade of lawmaking for Parliament’s penultimate week
With two weeks of Parliament left, the Government is squeezing in a cascade of legislation via yet another long week of urgency, when multiple contentious bills will make for a long slow week. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from...
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Getting the last word: How MPs farewell Parliament
Given the current slew of valedictory speeches, The House looks at what is usually said in them, or perhaps more poignantly, what's left out. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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A contempt of privilege: Parliament’s Clerk explains
Parliament’s expert on its rules explains privilege, the inquiry process, and the limited options for punishment in the wake of MBIE officials being found guilty of a contempt this week. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from…
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Greg O'Connor gives a bard's farewell to the House
Outgoing Labour MP and former Deputy Speaker Greg O’Connor has something of a reputation around Parliament for his poetry. It would have come as no surprise then that he gave his valedictory entirely in rhyming verse. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Paulo Garcia : ‘Let hateful words be the undoing of those who wield them.’
In a vividly honest farewell speech, retiring MP Paulo Garcia spoke of wonderment, joy and gratitude, but also of his own experience of hatred and violence and invisibility. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of…
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MPs get brief reprieve from urgency trenches to farewell two colleagues
As the remaining weeks of the 54th Parliament tick over, MPs who have decided to step back from politics have their chance to farewell their colleagues and Parliament as an institution in the form of a valedictory statement. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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RMA week: a sane, slow respite from frantic politics
As the election nears, politics can get frantic and irrational. By contrast much of Parliament’s long week of urgency was a model of calm, with careful, unemotive discussion of RMA law. *RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s...
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Dr Shane Reti farewells Parliament
After about 12 years, National's Shane Reti farewelled Parliament this week, reflecting on some of his achievements in the Health portfolio, and lamenting some of the unfinished business he couldn't quite get to Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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MP Mark Cameron says goodbye from afar
Two MPs gave valedictory statements to their colleagues on Wednesday, but illness forced one of them to say haere rā via a video link. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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What's Parliament getting urgent about this week?
With only four weeks of Parliament to go before it breaks for the election, the government is snatching as much time as it can to try to complete its legislative agenda. Here's the plan. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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House on Sunday: Duncan Webb exit interview
The House sits down with Duncan Webb for an exit interview as the former Minister and Labour Party whip calls time on his parliamentary career. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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54 nurses: A grudging admission and the data on nurses
This week the minister of Health was forced into a grudging admission that threatens the Government's narrative of success in Health. We look at the admission and the raw data on nurse numbers. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Government DNA inaction undermining prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Government asked by AGenDA to stop insurance discrimination on the basis of DNA, two years after it passed an as-yet unused law enabling that. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Urgent debate or urgent farewell: MPs debate demotion of Chris Penk
The urgent debate on Chris Penk’s demotion was about a fairly specific topic, the Prime Minister’s decision to remove one of his ministers from Cabinet. In practice, it was a rather more eclectic collection of reckonings from around the House. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Attorney General: Championing the rule of law
[s] When criticism can get you sacked, one minister’s job is to disagree with impunity. Meet the Cabinet’s oddest role, held by the “most sued man in New Zealand”. RNZ’s The House, providing insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the...
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House on Sunday: potpourri of petitions and a briefing on bird flu
Louis heads along to a select committee briefing on Bird Flu, while Phil looks at the hodgepodge of petitions that came up in a special debate this week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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House on Sunday: Questions and excuses
Three stories on questions and "answers", including Peters' doppelgänger defence, the Speaker's example on Written Questions, and the MBIE inquiry. RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Find our articles...
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Luxon and Peters: Which one are you today?
It is hard to pin down a minister in Question Time, when each has a doppelgänger ready to deflect the blame or shoulder the responsibility. Winston Peters this week said more or less 'you should ask the other Winston, here's not here right now'. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Misleading the House? Yes. Deliberately? Maybe
The saga over a cancelled $35 million government project continued this week, with Labour MP Phil Twyford appearing before the committee. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Responses and responsibility
All the most overdue responses to Written Questions are addressed to the MP responsible for ensuring prompt answers, and for enabling a responsible government. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Bird flu something we have to "learn to live with," experts tell MPs
The primary production committee heard from DOC and MPI this week during a briefing on bird flu. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Debating pet petitions
MPs held a Special Debate on issues raised by Petitions this Parliament. There have been 685 petitions so far on, so that’s a wide remit. The debate ranged from genocide to a specific road fence. The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from...
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The women changing Pacific politics
This week, Parliament had 29 more MPs than usual. Not because of an early election, but because 29 female parliamentarians from across the Pacific were in Wellington for wānanga focused on leadership, decision-making and driving change across the region. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more...
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House on Sunday: Parliament gets stuck back in after recess
The House looks at what business MPs had waiting for them upon their return to Parliament this week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Members day returns to the House
The first members day in nearly two months provided a nice vignette into the value of select committee public consultation Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Refreshed MPs add new debates to business backlog
After a two week break, MPs return to a backlog of business, old arguments and new debates; but with fresh energy. RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ. Go to this...
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No rest for the Justice Committee during sitting break
Parliament's justice committee spent most of the sitting break listening to submissions from the public on the move on orders legislation Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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What should a parliamentary budget office look like?
With a slew of policy announcements, there also comes fresh calls for a Parliamentary Budget Office. But what should the remit of such an institution be? The House chats to Economist Dr Eric Crampton about the proposal. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Leader of the House: Juggling a jigsaw puzzle
Louise Upston gives her take on her new part-time full-time job: managing the Government’s entire legislative programme as Leader of the House. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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House on Sunday: Ministerial responsibility & key bills from a big week
We ask whether ministers can evade questions by claiming operational independence, and note some key bills from a huge week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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23 Bills, 36 stages: Here are eight to note
As Parliament stretches into the weekend in a debating marathon, we note four bills being completed and four others just beginning their legislative journey. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Ten third readings: A lot of practice crossing the finish line
With ten third readings during Parliament's urgency week, a suite of bills are now on the cusp of becoming law, pending the largely ceremonial box-tick of Royal Assent. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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The 'not my circus, not my monkey' defence
Can a minister, asked how his agency achieves its targets, use the 'not my circus, not my monkey' tactic? Tama Potaka did. What are the rules? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Rare declaration debate precedes a week of urgency
Before Parliament got down into the trenches for urgency, it debated a declaration from the Supreme Court that particular legislation was inconsistent with NZBORA Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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House on Sunday: Misinforming MPs, and an election-free QT
Allegations that officials kept ministers and MPs in the dark, and MPs as bad examples. Plus, the Speaker quashes Question Time electioneering. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Misleading Parliament: Do MPs set a bad example?
Immigration officials are under investigation for allegedly misleading a Parliament committee. Are MPs bad role models? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Parliament hears submissions on "Samaritan bill"
Remember the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan? Well this week, Parliament's Health Select Committee has been hearing oral submissions on a member's bill that some have dubbed the "Good Samaritan Bill". Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Parliament (and ministers) kept in dark
MPs as well as ministers may have been kept in the dark over immigration IT project. One omission gets more outrage, but both are equally bad. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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House on Sunday: the last scrutiny week of the 54th Parliament
The House reviews the last estimates scrutiny week for the 54th Parliament Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Defending defence's budget
As one of the few departments that received a generous funding boost in the recent budget, Minister for Defence Chris Penk had to convince MPs this week that it deserved that cash. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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ACC & Worksafe: Legislation meets budget scrutiny
Scrutiny of ministers for ACC and Worksafe raises a disconnect between work safety law change and its cost. No modelling, no discussion, no budget, no problem. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Boggling ROI on art funding and optional rules for broadcast
The Arts, Culture and Heritage (& broadcasting) scrutiny has a surprising Return on Investment for arts funding, and an interesting take on post-BSA journalism. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Financial scrutiny in an election year
June's scrutiny week will be the last chance select committees get to do detailed financial scrutiny in the current 54th Parliament, to learn more The House chats to David Wilson and James Picker. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The House have?
The House currently has 300 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The House about?
Legislation, issues and insights from Parliament.
How often does The House release new episodes?
The House publishes regularly with 300 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The House?
You can listen to The House on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The House?
The House is created and hosted by RNZ.
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