Privileges Committee To Look At Implications of Social Media

The use of social media and its implications for Parliament and its rules have been referred to the Privileges Committee by Speaker David Carter

When Parliament resumed at 2pm Carter said he had considered a request to look at the recent use of social media to comment on parliamentary proceedings and the performance of the Speaker.

This followed a number of MPs tweeting their view about Carter and other MPs in the House.

Carter said no specific allegation had been made of a breach of privilege, but the formal rules of Parliament did not sit comfortably with the informal nature of social media. He said MPs tweeting from Parliament is not a proceeding of Parliament, but an MP tweeting in Parliament could be held in contempt of the House. There were also rules around deliberately misreporting the proceedings of Parliament.

Carter said there was a need to look at the rules around the use of social media and Parliament’s wider rules, so a matter of general privilege would be referred to the Privileges Committee.

Reports on the International Labour Organisation, Report of the New Zealand Government Delegates on the One Hundredth and Second Session of the International Labour Conference, Geneva, 5 - 20 June 2013 and the The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Statement of Intent 2014 - 2018 were presented.

Select committee reports were presented on the:

Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill by the Commerce Committee

2012/13 financial review of Drug Free Sport New Zealand by the Government Administration Committee

2012/13 financial review of the Retirement Commissioner by the Social Services Committee

Complaint regarding the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects—Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 by the Regulations Review Committee

Immigration Amendment Bill (No 2) by the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee.

The Legislation Amendment Bill and the Policing (Cost Recovery) Amendment Bill were introduced.

MPs began Question Time.

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

© Scoop Media