NZ First leader Winston Peters on his way into the House for Question Time at Parliament in Wellington today. Photo / Mark Mitchell
NZ First leader Winston Peters on his way into the House for Question Time at Parliament in Wellington today. Photo / Mark Mitchell
A majority of Parliament is now calling for the Health Select Committee to be reconvened so MPs can grill key health officials overseeing the Covid-19 response.
In a rare showing of unity, both National and New Zealand First agree that MPs on the committee should come back to Wellington, inlight of Auckland's level 3 extension decision.
But the Greens are not so sure; in fact its co-leader James Shaw said both parties were "grandstanding", given the committee would only be sitting for four days.
National and NZ First have argued that MPs should have the right to ask questions of health officials, such as director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, at the committee.
Although Parliament was reconvened after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delayed the election, select committees are not sitting.
National's health spokesman Dr Shane Reti said that given this, the committee also needs to come back.
"Kiwis, who have already sacrificed so much, deserve answers as to why they were forced into lockdown again. The Health Select Committee is the best way to find those answers," he said.
"It's logical for the Health Select Committee to meet to canvass the advice of the director general of health and other senior officials pertaining to the alert level decisions taken by Cabinet on 24 August."
National health spokesman Dr Shane Reti during his party's press conference at Parliament today. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Reti wrote to the committee's chair, Labour's Louisa Wall, asking for the committee to be reconvened.
According to Ardern, bringing the committee back is a decision for Wall.
Wall has been approached for comment.
Speaking to media this afternoon, Ardern said neither National nor NZ First raised this as an issue when she spoke to their leaders before she announced the election's delay.
She said both parties were more focused on having Question Time – which occurs in the House three days a week at 2pm.
In fact, Ardern said that when she spoke to National leader Judith Collins, she had no desire to reconvene the Epidemic Select Committee – the bipartisan group of MPs who questioned officials during the first lockdown.
Shaw was more critical.
"Given that National can't ask all of its allocation of questions during Question Time, suggesting that we reconvene the health select committee for four days is probably just grandstanding."
