Officers Elected And Business Carried Over

The House has adjourned until 2pm after electing officers and deciding to carry over all business from the last Parliament.

The House resumed this morning before being summonsed to hear the Speech from the Throne after this MPs returned to the chamber for other business.

National MP Chester Burrows was elected Deputy Speaker on a voice vote, National MP Lindsay Tisch and Labour’s Trevor Mallard were elected as Assistant Speakers also on a voice vote.

NZ First Leader Winston Peters complained his party had not been consulted about the appointments.

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee said the appointments had been discussed by the Business Committee and NZ First had been too disorganised to give a point of view.

Brownlee moved the motions electing the officers and noted he never thought he would be nominating Trevor Mallard for the role. Mallard has a reputation as “bovver boy” in the House, but his knowledge of Standing Orders and parliamentary procedures is equally well know,.

Green co-leader Metiria Turei said it was notable no women had been nominated and Parliament was falling behind in terms of representation.

Brownlee also moved a carry over motion reinstating all business on the Order Paper from the last Parliament including a member’s bill in the name of Hone Harawira. Brownlee said it would be up to the Speaker to work out who inherited the bill.

The motion passed on a voice vote.

A motion relating to the status of Crown agencies and other entities in regards to parliamentary scrutiny was also passed on a voice vote.

The House then adjourned until 2pm when the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne will begin.

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