It's official: Politicians just can't take a joke

John Key

MPs may make fools of themselves from time to time but they want to ban others from doing it.

Satire, ridicule and denigration of MPs using any television footage shot from parliamentary galleries is to be banned under rules proposed by the standing orders committee.

The move on freedom of expression is not the only controversy the rules have caused.

They also create anomalies between what television cameras can show and what newspapers photographers are allowed to show, giving television the advantage.

The television cameras will be able to show wider shots than are allowed now, such as an MP's response to an answer, but photographers won't be.

For example, if an MP asking a minister a question gave the fingers to the minister, the television cameras under the new rules could film it and broadcast it, but a newspaper photographer could not take it or run it in the paper.

The newspaper would be allowed to take the shot from the television footage but not to produce its own.

The proposed rule change has been condemned by the media freedom committee of the Commonwealth Press Union and the parliamentary press gallery, which was not given prior warning of the move to ban satire or ridicule in television footage.

Labour, New Zealand First, United and the Maori Party stood firmly behind the move.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen accused media of trying to portray the restrictions as "some sort of fascist state where the heroic media of New Zealand are being denied the right to lampoon politicians".

"I think you are taking yourselves a bit too seriously," he said.

National's Gerry Brownlee suggested the rules were "interim" only and that if they did not work, they could be revised. He agreed that imposing bans on satire or ridicule could be seen as "precious".

The Green Party and Act won't say if they opposed the restrictions behind the closed door of the committee but they have concerns.

Act leader Rodney Hide said that the ability to lampoon politicians was the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship. He also believed removing the restrictions on cameras in Parliament would impact on behaviour.

"I think Parliament would be improved if you could have your picture taken at any moment sitting there."