Banks Baiting Interrupted By Sound Chaos

The committee stage of the Regulatory Reform Bill was turning into a John Banks baiting show before the collapse of the sound system caused a bit of chaos.

The bill in the name of ACT Leader John Banks is an omnibus bill which tidies up various bits of legislation gave Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove the chance to question the minister’s political credibility

Banks did not appear in the House.

Unlike her colleague Lianne Dalziel was addressing the bill, however the collapse of the sound system meant it was difficult for her to be heard.

There was then some uncertainty about whether the House was being broadcast. It was, and the Minister in the Chair’s microphone was also on.

(sound goes at 6m. 57secs)

At one point, Clayton Cosgrove called for the House to be suspended because of doubts it was being broadcast. Cosgrove was handed a microphone to make a request that the Speaker be recalled after Chair Eric Roy refused the request.

The problem seemed to be mainly on the Opposition side who were then provided with wandering microphones to be audible.

After much debate eventually Speaker Lockwood Smith said the House should proceed though he did offer the opinion that broadcast of Parliament could possibly be suspended if only one side of the House could be heard.

**
ParliamentToday.co.nz is a breaking news source for New Zealand parliamentary business featuring broadcast daily news reports.

© Scoop Media