Comments on: National’s new whips

By: insider

insider — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:31:11 +0000

Whips are just party hacks. They (and their leaders for that matter) should be funded by the parties not the public as they provide no public or wider parliamentary benefit, unlike say an SC chair

By: southtop

southtop — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:44:28 +0000

“Parliament not govt provides funding” BS I DO AND I’M TIRED and PISSED OFF
Time for new rule – ALL govt (central, local and associated cancerous attachments) cannot spend more than 20% of GDP in a year!

By: big bruv

big bruv — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:06:19 +0000

So the snotty nosed kid gets another top job without any real life experience.

Just who the hell is going to listen to somebody who has never had a real job in their life?

I have said it before about Ross, he may well end up being a good MP but he would have far more claim to being a peoples representative had he spent three years working for a living before becoming a bludger for life in Parliament.

By: peterwn

peterwn — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:26:03 +0000

AFAIK the late Alf Allen (Nat MP for Franklin up to 1972) was a senior whip who did not get a Minister-ship. He was Speaker for his final few years in Parliament.

By: double d

double d — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:20:27 +0000

Another razor sharp comment from hammy still pushing his Tories / neoliberal line. Snort.

By: Paulus

Paulus — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Have just heard that Winston will vote against Carter as Speaker supported by the Greens, as an unconstitional vote.

Does this mean that Winston is still wrangling upon him being Speaker ?

By: Neil

Neil — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:05:27 +0000

I realize that Jami-Lee Ross came in after the Botany by-election.
I watch parliament a bit and on my observation he would seem to be one of the weaker National MP’s. Apparently he is very young. He was on the Auckland City Council. What are his particular skills ? Has he got a core constituency ?
He certainly is no stem winding orator and he has been invisible in the house in major issues.
What claim has he got on his promotion?

By: emmess

emmess — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:35:02 +0000

Personally I agree with the idea that MPs pay and entitlements should be set on a 3 yearly basis

If that was the case you could be sure as hell inflation would be kept to an absolute minimum (or there would even be deflation).

By: Graeme Edgeler

Graeme Edgeler — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:05:59 +0000

[DPF: Parliament, not Government, provides the funding]

Parliament provides the funding for everything.

By: David Farrar

David Farrar — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:47:05 +0000

Louise, Tim and Jami-Lee are all in their second terms. To be fair though Jami-Lee can in late in the previous term.

By: tvb

tvb — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:39:21 +0000

I am surprised how relatively fresh MPs have these jobs. Louise Upston is in line for further promotion. I assume the Leader of the House and the Prime Minister make the big decisions. The whips act under delegated authority and their role is more administrative.

By: hamnidaV2

hamnidaV2 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:36:17 +0000

“The Remuneration Authority decided, not the Government” – Yeah Right. I am sure the Tories had nothing to do with it.

By: Nigel Kearney

Nigel Kearney — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:19:32 +0000

Interesting that Hipkins expects National to still be implementing anything after the next election. A two term government doing this part way through their second term is hardly ‘changing the rules to suit their own interests’. Even if it’s a three term government we’re still nearly half way there. Maybe Hipkins expects National to have four terms of 45+ MPs. This would be consistent with his outspoken support for Shearer.

By: Graeme Edgeler

Graeme Edgeler — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:13:40 +0000

The Remuneration Authority decided, not the Government, that a party with over 45 MPs needs a third whip, and will fund it.

The Government isn’t funding this third whip, but will get the money from the Remuneration Authority? Can we get it to pay for other stuff too? Does it use investment income, or something else?

[DPF: Parliament, not Government, provides the funding]