Parliament's cookies crumble to National

Gerry Brownlee

Smaller parties are upset National blocked them from spots on important parliamentary committees but its Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee says that is how the election cookie crumbled.

"While I understand where minor parties are coming from, if they want a bigger slice of the time Parliament has available for its processes, they have to get a bigger vote - as simple as that," Mr Brownlee said.

Select committees scrutinise legislation and carry out reviews of spending by Government departments.

The 121 seats in Parliament are shared proportionally across the 18 committees but in the past some MPs have been allowed to sit on committees without voting rights.

NZ First MP Ron Mark wanted such a position on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee which he has been on before.

"Every other party in the House agreed and supported me ... but National just vetoed it out of hand," Mr Mark said.

"They are essentially throwing a tantrum, they've found themselves locked out of government - ironically as a result of their inability to make any allowances for parties who were sympathetic or might have been potential coalition partners to them."

He said National was acting in a way that meant they would find it hard to get support for their member's bills or amendments in Parliament - or at the next election.

The Act Party has not yet applied to be on any other committees than it is entitled to but is likely to want to participate on the Law and Order and Health committees.

Party leader Rodney Hide said National was not thinking ahead: "I think that the National Party has got its 48 MPs and they are happily in opposition and they are saying to hell with everyone else."

He said National was not building relationships and said it had tried to wipe out Act and NZ First at the election.

Green MP Metiria Turei was surprised at being blocked from being on the Maori Affairs committee.

She said not being on committees made it very hard for smaller parties to get information and cover areas they were spokespeople for. "While it's certainly true the proportional system is what the business committee and Parliament works on, I think in the interests of democracy it's better for smaller parties to have access."

Mr Brownlee said the smaller parties wanted more than their fair share but were unwilling to concede in other areas - such as speaking times on bills in Parliament.

"What they have asked for is for members to be appointed to those committees without voting rights but with all the other rights," he told NZPA.

"That means when it comes to financial reviews, inquiries, estimates or any of the normal work that a select committee does, the amount of time available to the National Party would be cut down because it's got to be shared amongst a greater number of people."

Speaking time in the House was less proportional and all parties got slots. If there were straight proportionality National would get five or six speaking slots per bill instead they get three and occasionally four as they share that spot with Labour.

"I think that's just getting a bit ridiculous," Mr Brownlee said.

- NZPA