Answering Questions
December 9th, 2008 at 8:24 am by David FarrarYesterday’s Herald Editorial is a must read for new Ministers, and the new Speaker:
Governments before 1984 did not encourage their ministers to engage in political jousts at question time. Ministers generally treated even mischievous questions with seriousness and respect. They replied in considered terms that did not often give much away but were usually more informative than the mutual abuse of recent years.
Yes, Muldoon might snap at you, but he would also answer the question.
Since then things appear to have deteriorated to the point that question time in the Clark years became merely sneering and nasty. The Prime Minister adopted a practice of pointedly turning and looking away from the Opposition leader while delivering dismissive responses to his questions. The advent of MMP may also be to blame. The House seemed to have a higher tone when members were addressed by their electorates rather than by name.
Sneering and nasty – apt descriptions indeed. And I do agree that it was less combative when the Opposition MPs had to be referred to as “the Honourable Member for Hunua” or equivalent.
The new Prime Minister appears to have more in common with them than its parents. He was born too late to acquire the cynicism of youth in the 1960s. And as a comparative latecomer to politics he seems better equipped to ignore its petty contests than are those who made it their career.
He would do well to encourage his new ministers to conduct themselves with dignity and decorum in the House. The Government’s role is crucial to its conduct. Oppositions have to be aggressive and provocative, ministers need not reply in kind. Ministers have the advantage of status at question time, they should use it. A polite, restrained, factual answer to a politically-pointed question would be far more impressive on television than the tedious partisan exchanges of recent times.
While there would be lapses, I do hope Ministers do consider the wisdom of the Herald’s advice. Polite, restrained, factual answers will enhance them, not be a sign of weakness. Sure the odd question will be irresistable to bat away, but it would be nice to have Ministers from time to time exceed the minimum requirement of “addressing the question” and actually answering it.
Related posts:
- How to avoid answering questions
- Even stupid questions should be answered
- Most questions this session
- Praise for Lockwood
December 9th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I hope Mr Key sits down for a cuppa tea with Mr Speaker and sorts out some ground rules which will ensure we are treated the the ‘new standards of accountability’ which were promised nine years ago but never delivered.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Why was the Herald silent on these matters when the ‘nasty and sneering’ behaviour was at it’s worst?
Another case of pious fair-weather advice from our woeful MSM.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
It always galled me to see the media fawning over Helen and building up her image as a measured and fair leader, humanist and stateswoman.
Vote:One only had to watch a question time, and notice her disrespect for her fellow MP’s and the conventions of our democracy to see that she was actually a nasty, vindictive, petty and rude machiavelli. She’s a poor example of the values that New Zealand (and her dear Labour party) purports to espouse.
I hope her reputation is debunked and her legacy destroyed. I hope National can get parliament back on track.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I also hope they take the Heralds advice.
Dime loves the moral high ground.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Another change that happened was that prior to the mid 1980′s, each sitting day commenced with MPs able to get the call from the Speaker and then reading that “they would move next sitting day that the house note….” These were used for pure point scoring & ridicule and could go on for quarter of an hour or so. For example, I recall once hearing Dr Cullen moving that the House note that a poll had shown that more people named Mickey Mouse as a potential leader of the National Party than Bill Birch
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Personally I can’t wait to see which of the prestigious international roles, that we are often told that she will be offered, Helen will accept.
Perhaps it will be General Secretary of the United Nations and she will be able to use her well honed ‘look-away-sneer’ on the Dear Leader (the original one in North Korea). I’ll wager he’ll think twice about crossing our own Dear ex-Leader before he puts on his platforms each morning.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 9:31 am
remind me why Helen is being offered anything?
is it so JK will get a nice job when he gets ousted?
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
“I run the show” Cunliffe, may want to be the class clown. He has however the charm and dignity of an ARL Coach.
Cullen’s, “you are playing with the big boys now!” looks even more ridiculous with the passage of time.
Clarks, “Didums” encapsulates everything about her empathy and warmth.
The New Speaker will be well advised to keep a watchful eye on the aforementioned barracking from the sidelines.
However he has the true advantage of not having to deal to the Paliamentary Jabberwocky. By the way Winston where is the $158k you stole off us?
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Please please please let our parliment go back to being a house of grown ups and not the nasty, vindictive place that it has turned into (and that turns people off).
I would also be interested to know what roles Helen has been offerred. I seem to remember all those years ago that Muldoon was so good in finance that he was going to be offerred all sorts of positions with the World Bank. Never happened it was just his spin doctors. Could it possibilly be the same with Helen? After all she was known in my circles as ‘Muldoon i?n a skirt’ (debatable I know the skirt bit) Lets wait and see. And yes Winston where is the $158K?
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 10:00 am
‘Muldoon in a skirt’
Vote:I don’t think so Lucy, as Sir Rob had a healthy brain while Miss Klark is the ultimate two faced liar.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I don’t give a rats about the goverment answering questions. There’s a list of people on the oposition side that need to be cornered and pinned down then forced to answer a few questions.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Really? Dad4justice? Although I voted for him first time around I recall him loosing it (like HC) about the second term big time. He was just as controlling as she was and he was scary and I am a National supporter but I like so many others voted against National in 84 just to get rid of him. Remember Rob ended his days on the back benches. Is that Helens fate?
Helen was Muldoon in a skirt! They both wanted to “rule us” (not govern but rule) and that was the scary bit. Anyhow has anyone heard what positions Helen is going to be offerred? Im really interested.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 11:12 am
No one has actually heard anything concrete, but speculation never really goes past some sort of international ambassador-type/UN gig.
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
or will she end her days on the back benches as Muldoon did. Wouldnt that be justice!
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Question time under Labour was a joke.
Yes, before I’m labelled a socialist lickspittle, I did make this criticism on numerous occasions, both publicly and private. Margaret Wilson received emails from me about how she did not make ministers address questions that would give anyone any kind of information – and I got quoted standing orders back – ignoring the fact that while these might have been within the letter of the law, they weren’t within the spirit of them. And she allowed far too much rudeness and barracking.
I’ll be genuinely disappointed if National don’t change this. It would be nice for a change…
Vote:December 9th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
One is hoping ones employees in Wellington will now adopt a more grown up approach to their job of governing.
It will be refreshing to see ones tax dollars being spent in a responsible fashion rather than the past 9years of watching ones hard earned cash being wasted on a bunch of cretins one would fail to employ to scrub ones toilet
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