Question Time 19.7.2023

1. Luxon to Hipkins Gary filling me in on yesterday: apparently Luxon's supplementaries were questionable, which was something Rurawhe followed up on later. Plugging youth justice reforms. Has spending contributed to inflation? 'Government spending is declining... the government has an economic growth plan... without the cyclone there would not have been a recession.' - Hipkins. Gary on the questions: 'pretty pathetic'
   

2. Lorck to Sepuloni New payments related to the floods and cyclone. They're variable: 2 parents + 3 kids in Auckland might receive $610 per week. A lolly scramble of policies. This was some electioneering disguised as a question. - Digression -- I'm not interested in disguising my dick. It's not visible. I'm not hiding that I was born a man: I'm fully aware of that. She's not that small. I'm also aware of that -- I look at myself in the mirror before I go out, and it looked fine. Those leggings are very sensuous; that's what's happening. Which is why I like the scrub pants. They're not very arousing, yet very feminine. I'm touch-starved: that's why certain fabrics are arousing for me. And this was also true as a guy wearing guys clothes. That's why I'm not switching, and that's why I'm an angry bitch. I'm not coming back as a guy, and I'd rather die. That's not dramatic. That's my life. I have a life too, Parliamentarians, yet it revolves around stupid questions like these, and I'm equally ready to answer bluntly. 😊 - Ricardo: why hasn't the Civil Defence payment been updated for 20 years? Gary's take: 'she's saying the hardship grant isn't enough.'
   

3. Willis to Robertson Very canny from Robertson. This was where Rurawhe took National to task for the questions... Hipkins had a wisecrack -- I think he said 'it's question time, not storytime' but it was muffled.
   

4. Pallett to Robertson Switched sides to sitting above the Government. Opening match of the FIFA Women's World Cup is tomorrow.
   

5. Tuiono to Damien O'Connor. Māori land; testing the new Greens policy. 'compulsory acquisition is a tool to be used when the situation requires... no reason to believe any injustices being imposed on Māori land owners.' - O'Connor Gary: 'why don't they hand back the land which has been sold on? Half of Paraparaumu to start with.' 'Only for significant public works and infrastructure.' - O'Connor. This felt like a dodge to me. I mean, the Government is the one who determines what 'significant' means, so that's a weasel word from Labour about whether they're repossessing Māori land or not... it sounds like a no, but actually it's a yes. I reckon the Greens are quite keen to strengthen their Māori vote too, so it's great that I can take notes to keep my party updated when they're absent. It'll be a super-intense election this year... 👍
   

6. Seymour to Robertson Robertson: inflation is the responsibility of the Reserve Bank, not him. 90% of goods used for house building are from overseas (or made from overseas materials). This is why there's a housing crisis. Robertson: 'I stand by' the fiscal decisions from Covid and the floods. Had a zinger and called Seymour the 'professor of hindsight economics'! 🤣 Gary: 'if I didn't know better, I'd say that David Seymour is arguing for a state-run, state-funded supermarket chain.'
   

7. Omer to D O'Connor - FTA with the EU. $1.8 billion per year increase in exports by 2035. The last of the pro reporters left during this question. Removal of tariffs for honey, fish and other commodities. Gary: 'did he say redneck rather than red meat?' 1 in 4 NZ jobs depend on trade.
   

8. Reti to Verrall ED wait times: a slight increase in admissions from January to March 2023, but also a decrease in people waiting 6 hours or more. The data is collected by the separate DHB's according to Gary, and that's why it's taken so long to publish. Has she intentionally withheld information? She says no.
   

9. Chen to Henare New China-NZ flights. Guangzhou to Auckland, and more flights from the established Guangzhou to Christchurch route. Tourist numbers should be 80% of pre-Covid levels by September. As for me, I have no idea what shape I'll be in, which is why I chose pieces that were sight-readable. Dawn is the only one I want to play that isn't simple.
   

10. Goldsmith to Allan Very dry. Nothing interesting.
    

11. Williams to Prime This felt like watching someone read out a press release. Financial return from Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki: $162 million from 2022. Similar projections for 2023.
    

12. Stanford to Tinetti Not this again! Tinetti: 'the final curriculum will include core sciences.' Then Rurawhe cut them off. The House was sitting under urgency, so clearly he felt the question had been answered, even though it was very brief.