Scrutiny weeks: new select committee process puts ministers in the hot seat

Finance minister Nicola Willis might be hoping for a few 'patsy' questions when she appears at select committee this week. (Image: NZME)

Jem Traylen

Mon, 17 Jun 2024

Backbench MPs are getting to call in ministers and top officials for extended sessions of questioning over the Budget as part of a new parliamentary process known as “scrutiny weeks”.Under these rules, parliament has set aside two weeks: this week, focused on the Budget, and another in December, focused on the results departments have to show for the money they’ve been given.Even a major department, such as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), has typically only had 90 minutes of face time with MPs each...

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