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Parliament Brief: What is Parliament? This Parliament Brief explains the difference between and the distinct functions of the institutions of Parliament, Government, and the House of Representatives. It also explains the ‘separation of powers’ – the relationship between Parliament, executive government, and the judiciary (courts) within New Zealand’s constitutional framework.
Parliament Brief: Government accountability to the House An important function of the House of Representatives is holding the Government to account for its actions. The term ‘responsible government’ means that the Government has the confidence of the elected House from which its members are drawn. As a consequence, the Government is required to be accountable to the House.
Parliament Brief: The legislative process The law is the framework within which citizens consent to be governed. Democratic theory is that having elected their lawmakers (legislators), citizens recognise the legitimacy of the laws made on their behalf by the lawmakers and consent to abide by those laws.
Parliament Brief: Parliamentary privilege The concept of parliamentary privilege is often misunderstood to mean that politicians acquire personal privileges simply by being elected to Parliament. In fact parliamentary privilege applies to Parliament as a whole rather than the individual members. It enables the House of Representatives, as the democratically elected House of the people, to go about its business, such as law making, without interference from outside.
From talking shop to party government: procedural change in the New Zealand parliament, 1854-1894 This article looks at parliamentary business in the nineteenth-century New Zealand parliament, making comparisons with the British and Australian state parliaments. It develops further the argument of a previous paper which examines the shifting balance between parliament and the executive in New Zealand. The nature of parliamentary business in general and the place of government business in the nineteenth-century parliament was very different from today. The article looks at the development of the standing orders in the context of different types of bills, the increasing prominence of government business, and the rise of oppositiion obstruction to government business. In 1894 the Liberal government reformed the standing orders to limit the impact of obstruction and assist its business.
Parliament Brief: Select committees New Zealand’s select committee system enables members of Parliament to examine issues in more detail than is possible in the House of Representatives. Select committees can also provide the public with an opportunity to comment on and suggest changes to impending legislation and to participate in other parliamentary functions such as inquiries. Select committees carry out public scrutiny of Government spending plans and of the performance of New Zealand’s Government departments, Crown entities and State enterprises.
Parliament Brief: Officers of the House Some members of Parliament and officials have specific formal duties in the House of Representatives. They are known as officers of the House.
Parliament Brief: Parliament and the general election A term of Parliament in New Zealand may not last more than three years. Several parliamentary processes, laws, and conventions (established practices) ensure a smooth transition and provide safeguards for democratic process when an election has been called.
Refusal of assent - a hidden element of constitutional history in New Zealand This article explores Britain’s influence historically over legislation passed in the New Zealand Parliament through its power of giving or refusing assent. It suggests that Britain’s role was substantial, particularly in the 19th century, and continued until New Zealand adopted the Statute of Westminster in 1947. Britain refused to allow thirteen pieces of legislation to go onto the statute book. In two instances Britain disallowed Acts already assented to by the Governor and on the statute book. On five occasions Britain refused assent to bills and on another six occasions it held its decision in abeyance (withheld assent) for two years and the bills became void. Other legislation was amended on Britain’s instructions.
A shifting balance: Parliament, the executive and the evolution of politics in New Zealand The recent reforms to the New Zealand Parliament shifted the balance between executive and legislature away from the former. Through much of the twentieth century the executive had dominated. Earlier, the balance between the executive and legislature was strikingly different. The article describes the shift towards greater executive dominance in relation to parliamentary expenditure, the impact of political parties and electoral politics, and increased government control over business in the House of Representatives.
Political participation and electoral change in nineteenth-century New Zealand This article looks at the early decades of New Zealand’s elections, a time when many believe that politics was undemocratic and political participation was low. In these early elections the issues lay more in the failure to register on the electoral rolls and considerable numbers of uncontested electorates than in exclusion due to the property franchise or failure to vote by those registered. In the latter part of the nineteenth century increases in registration and voter turnout prepared the way for modern-day electoral politics.
The business of Parliament in history The way in which Parliament has conducted its business has changed greatly. The length of time Parliament sits, the hours it sits for, and its procedures are very different now. In the past Parliament met for two or three months over the winter. Maintaining a majority in the House was vital; governments could easily be defeated in a motion of no-confidence. The House would sit into the early hours of the morning and sittings might last for days on end if the government met with obstruction. Private members’ bills were more important then. As the party system developed, governments took greater control over the House and more time for their business.
History of the Parliamentary Library The library has played a vital role over more than 150 years, supporting representative and parliamentary democracy and responding to the needs of MPs. It was established in 1858. By the end of the nineteenth century it was akin to New Zealand’s national library and was a magnificent national treasure house in a splendid building. In the twentieth century it administered New Zealand’s copyright deposit provisions for New Zealand publications and began to provide a reference service for MPs. It was part of the National Library from 1966 until 1985. Today it is a focused research and information service for Parliament in the same historic building.
The Speaker in history At the beginning of each Parliament members elect their Speaker from the floor of the House. He/she acts as the presiding chair over the proceedings and deliberations of the House, keeps order in the chamber and determines matters of procedure. The Speaker is expected to exercise scrupulous impartiality. Historically, Speakers played a more partisan role in the House than today. They shaped Parliament by introducing ceremonial elements from Westminster, developing appropriate procedures for the House, and administering Parliament. The reforms of the mid 1980s gave the Speaker enhanced powers over parliamentary expenditure and control over Parliament Buildings and grounds.
The earth may move, but Parliament stays put A special engineering system of base isolation has been used in the strengthening of Parliament House and the Parliamentary Library. Base isolator bearings were inserted between the buildings and their original foundations during a 1992-95 strengthening and refurbishment project so that these buildings could withstand an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale.