Political diary

Hone Harawira's poster of Native Americans presents a different perspective on the war against terror. Photo / Mark Mitchell

SUNDAY

Heath Minister Tony Ryall releases the report of the independent ministerial review group advising on the quality and performance of the public health system. Now, that's rather a mouthful. But it had us wondering how many other such reviews have been established by the Government to inquire into some aspect or other of public policy. Labour has been adding them up. At last count, their total had reached 37 up to June. The list reveals ministers coming up with a multitude of names for what is essentially the same thing, presumably to make their particular review sound important. The range of titles includes "ministerial inquiry", "ministerial review group", plain old "ministerial review", "technical advisory group", "ministerial panel", "expert panel", "taskforce", "reference group", "officials working group" and "board of inquiry".

TUESDAY

Parliament holds a snap debate on the decision to send the SAS to Afghanistan. As befits the serious nature of the subject - sending soldiers into a war zone - members rise to the occasion with passionate, thoughtful well-argued speeches. The Maori Party's Hone Harawira is no exception . However, he has his own unique take on the "war on terror". He says what you call terrorism depends on who you are and where you stand. He refers to a poster on his office wall of four Apache, including Geronimo, standing in the desert armed with muskets and rifles. The caption reads: "Homeland Security: fighting terrorism since 1492"; 1492 is the year Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas.

THURSDAY

If Rodney Hide is deliberately grandstanding over separate Maori seats on the proposed Auckland Super City council, he picked a funny day to do it. Apart from the fact that his target for the week is the planned replacement emissions trading system, he is in agony because of a tooth abscess.He sorts that out the next day with some quick oral surgery, telling Parliament during afternoon question time that if he sounds funny it is not because he has had a good lunch. Hide is about to pour praise on the public health system when Speaker Lockwood Smith cuts him short, saying: "We'll just have the question." But not before Labour's David Cunliffe chips in: "Abscess makes the heart grow fonder."

FRIDAY

When it comes to overseas travel perks for ex-MPs, there is a silent majority of current MPs who won't get them but won't say anything about it even though the system is patently unfair. Simon Power was elected to Parliament in 1999 and is therefore not entitled to the perk when he leaves. Gerry Brownlee, elected in 1996, and his wife will qualify for a 90 per cent discount on holiday travel when he leaves. That is despite the two MPs enjoying much the same salaries and allowances for 10 of the past 13 years. Power will have to console himself through another perk. On retirement, he will be allowed to borrow books from the Parliamentary Library - one at a time.