29 July 2025

Should the new Head of State be able to enter Parliament? The current King can't. First Question Time as a bonafide member of the royal whānau. Processing all that whakapapa took up most of last week. Sat in the Speaker's Gallery. Duncan Webb had moved a motion for debating the new electoral laws, which was knocked back because the debate was already scheduled for today. 1. Redmayne to Willis SR 4, NW 4 Personal income tax thresholds were adjusted last year, and they're still spruiking it. 'Where's our ferries?' - Gary Have Kiwis benefitted? 'Depends on the circumstances' - Nicola ECE, FamilyBoost rebates, which aren't the same as subsidies. 'Is it more or less shit than the answer?' - Gary's view of interjections. 2. Chippy to Omelette C 6, PO 4 The government is removing all the surcharges, with Luxon saying that this meant there wouldn't be any 'nasty surprises' for people when they're paying for things. I thought that was a racist statement. $300 million in tax breaks, zero health subsidies. 'Making it harder for people who do live in New Zealand to vote him out' - Gary 3. Lu to Simpson NL 5, SS 5 More on surcharges... 'overwhelmingly positive feedback' - Simpson Did he ask the dairy owners? 4. Edmonds to Willis BE 5, NW 3 'Food price inflation is far lower' - Nicola. Are we back on track? Didn't address the question, which was repeated. 'Last lot trashed the joint' - Nicola. This, of course, was out of order. 5. Marama to Luxon MD 7, PO 4 'I hope more people participate in our democracy' - Luxon, while cutting eligibility for around 20,000 people and banning same-day enrolments. 'Why are you so scared of voters?' - Chippy, interjecting. 6. Ayesha to Slimeon AV 6, SB 3 'Putting patients first' - Slimeon, who said that there were 2100 more nurses and 600 more doctors than there were last year, sidestepping Ayesha's statement that 30% was cut from the patient safety workforce. 'When tragedy strikes, he has no-one to blame but himself' - Ayesha 7. Arbuckle to Jonesy JA 4, SJ 5 'This is why patsy questions need to go ... Chloe's face speaks for all of us' - Gary. Oil and gas exploration is set to recommence by the end of the week. 'We have the ability to be world leaders' - Jonesy. 'Worst decision in the history of capitalism' - Jonesy on Jacinda's changes. 8. Rutherford to Goldie TR 4, PG 5 Recovery of court fines; they're taking people's cars now. A sting at the weekend caught about 30 people. 'They need to be paid or the system doesn't work' - Goldie. 11% increase in paying fines from yesterday. 9. Ginny to Bish GA 6, CB 4 1000 jobs lost in construction last month. 'This government is doing what it can do' - Bish. The building sector is the least confident sector, according to the NZIER. 10. Cheung to Penk CC 5, CP 5 Overseas building materials are now able to be used more easily, with Penk saying that it was 'critical to bringing down the cost' ... houses are 50% cheaper to build in Australia. NZ pays 40-60% more for plasterboard, which we have an acute shortage of. 11. Puhihuia to the Omelette CS 6, PO 4 Who is he here to serve? 'low and middle-income Kiwis' - Omelette. Unemployment? 'show some leadership' - Carmel 'We are building an economy to create jobs' - Omelette. Will banks remove interchange fees? No. 12. Peeni to Tama PH 7, TP 4 90% rise in homelessness in Auckland over the last nine months. 'We will remain agile' - Tama. What does that mean? Gary's in a sour mood, which led to this: 'once all the Māori are homeless, they'll get rid of him'