Question Time 18.09.2024

Question Time 18.09.2024

Went to the City Gallery exhibition that the National Library is hosting. Didn't really get it.

A school group sang Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in Te Reo Māori on Parliament Grounds.

Funny banter between Chippy and the Prime Omelette when they realised that they were the first two politicians to arrive in the House for Question Time.

'The media was very light with me today' - Chippy

'It's a relief, actually' - The Prime Omelette.

1. Stuart Smith to Nicola SS 5, NW 5

What reports has she seen... 'why doesn't she just talk to people?' - Gary.

0.4% increase in the cost of food across Aotearoa.

CPI inflation of 2.3% in this quarter.

Another series of out of order attacks on the opposition that Brownlee ignored.

2. Chippy to the Prime Omelette C 8, PO3

Another FamilyBoost plug.

Emissions reduction... 'The government is on track to meet our net zero goals for 2050' - Omelette.

Will they purchase carbon credits? The Omelette deflected that with his trademark Teflon mode.

3. Chloe to the Prime Omelette CS 7, PO 3

'There has been no increase in average rents since the end of last year' - Omelette

'Spoken like a landlord' - Gary.

400 cuts to science jobs (NIWA etc.). Gary whinged again about the long, fact-filled questions that Chloe is using.

The Prime Omelette is yet to appoint a new Chief Science Advisor.

4. Nakhle to Goldsmith RN 5, PG 5

More tough on crime bullshit. Goldsmith said that the goal was to 'put gang members in prison for longer so that they don't create new victims.'

Said that yesterday as well.

5. Verrall to Reti AV 7, SR 4

Why did he appoint a new Health Commissioner, and why are there suddenly a whole bunch of NDA's being signed by people working in the health sector?

Reti's answers were a whole lot of waffle.

6. Mooney to Mitchell JM 5, MM 4

Comancheros again... Mitchell claimed that the methamphetamine that was seized prevented $216 million in social harm.

'How many couldn't get their drugs of choice thanks to those arrests? Nobody.' - Gary

7. Teanau to Goldsmith TT 7, PG 4

Teanau spoke in Te Reo, and was particularly funny when calling the MPs earpieces 'taringa pakeha' after Goldsmith had forgotten to listen to the English translation.

Marine and Coastal Act 2011 (aka Takutai Moana). Very technical. Very boring answers.

8. Andersen to Mitchell GA 7, MM 3

Unlawful access to firearms from gangs. Have they used gun ranges?

Mostly a load of waffle ... 'there had been a massive proliferation of firearms and access to firearms under the previous government' - Mitchell.

9. Costley to Bayly TC 6, AB 6

Another snoozer of a question. Corporate governance: adding unique identifiers for company directors so that they don't have to make their home address a matter of public record.

10. Webb to Goldsmith DW 6, PG 4

More gangs... how many of these people have even met a gang member?

11. Arbuckle to Jones JA 5, SJ 5

Critical minerals. Jonesy has announced a new list of critical minerals 'that are useful and valuable for our economic resilience', and pointed out that coal wasn't among them.

'That's not a question: that's a meme!' - Gary about a Simon Court supplementary that attacked the hypocrisy of using cellphones to decry mining.

12. Russell to Watts DR 6, SW 4

Revenue and tax question. 'We are not pursuing an agenda around a capital gains tax' - Watts.

Despite this, the IRD is looking for new revenue streams that are in the billions. Deborah Russell suggested that they might be ignoring Nicola's advice, or that National had somehow caved.