Excerpt

Extended version of the Week in Parliament with Tom Frewen and Hinaya Ahu plus the full-length Santa Baby from Marama Fox and Te Ururoa Flavell.

The last Week in Parliament for 2016 and probably for ever as RNZ and the Clerks Office are not renewing the contract for 2017.

MPs start their summer holiday at 4.31pm at the end of the adjournment debate and a final festive Question Time.

Child poverty and Pike River dominate first Question Time for Bill English as prime minister, sitting in the National frontbench seat formerly occupied by John Key. First bill put up for debate by Mister Englishs National-led Government is the Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill which passes its first reading by 61 to 59 but is sent to a select committee by the larger margin of 75-45.

Extended version of the Week in Parliament with Hinaya Ahu and Tom Frewen. Extra reports include the Speakera response to New Zealand Firsts questions about the Parliamentary Palace and the first reading of a bill that would transfer responsibility for decisions on fluoridating local water supplies from territorial authorities to District Health Boards.

An exciting and historic week in the House after Prime Minister, John Key, announces his intention to resign after eight years. Speaker grants an urgent debate on the announcement on Tuesday and speculation on his successor dominates Wednesdays General Debate and Question Times. Debate on Members Bills on Wednesday sees two from Government MPs survive their first reading debates and being referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee and three from Opposition MPs all being denied a first reading by the same margin - the sixty-three of National, the Maori Party, United Future and ACT defeating the fifty-seven of Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First. The five vacancies created on the members order paper were filled by five more members bills drawn in the ballot the next day. On the governments ticket, the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill and the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Amendment Bill were read a third time. Then, resuming in extended time at nine ay em on Wednesday, although in Parliamentary time still in Tuesday, the House passed the Rangitane o Manawatu Claims Settlement Bill and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Display of Low-alcohol Beverages and Other Remedial Matters) Amendment Bill. After Question Time on Thursday, the House took a break from dealing with the aftershocks of John Keys imminent departure and returned to the Governments legislation in response to the massive seven-point-eight magnitude quake on November the fourteenth, The adjournment on Thursday at just after five pee em came at the end of the third and final reading of the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery Bill, the third measure in the Governments response to the Kaikoura Earthquake. --

MPs take a break from speculating about John Keys successor as National Party leader and Prime Minister to pass the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Recovery Bill through all its remaining stages. The bill was back in the debating chamber after spending almost a week with the Local Government and Environment Committee whose chairman, Scott Simpson, related how government MPs on the committee heard of Mister Keys resignation announcement. Nationals Kaikoura MP, Stuart Smith, reports on aspects of his electorates recovery from the 7.8 magnitude quake.

Opposition interest in Nationals three-legged race to find a replacement for John Key as their party leader and prime minister dominates Question Time and the General Debate. Questions include some old skeletons from the cupboards of Police Minister, Judith Collins, and Health Minister, Jonathan Coleman. New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, swaps barbs with Attorney-General, Christopher Finlayson.

New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, gets his request for a snap debate on John Keys resignation in ahead of Opposition leader, Andrew Little. The Speaker, David Carter, grants the request despite its technical flaws and opposition from the Governments leader of the House, Gerry Brownlee. The governments response to Winston Peters is led by the deputy prime minister, Bill English. Dispute over the nature of Mister Keys legacy includes questions as to whether he will even have a legacy. But Gerry Brownlee remains staunch in support of his Prime Minister.