The most common question I’ve been asked since the election has been “What’s it really like being a Member of Parliament (MP)?” The truth is that it’s been exhilarating and exhausting. It’s a privilege and a great responsibility. The hours are long and the breaks are few and far between but the prospect of having a positive impact on people’s lives is heady. Having spent most of my working life advocating for legislative and policy change, being an MP is my opportunity to be part of that change.
Over the past year, many people have asked me how Parliament works. This article is the first of a two-part series that aims to shed some light on that and share some reflections on being a new MP. Democracy is a form of government in which power ultimately lies with the people. To be effective, democracy requires that voters first understand and then participate in the system.
New Zealand Parliament is made up of the Sovereign – the Queen represented by the Governor-General – and the House of Representatives (the House), which is made up of about 120 democratically elected MPs.
Power is distributed across three branches of government – Parliament makes the law; the Executive or Government administers the law and the Judiciary interprets the law through courts. A separation of powers is important so that each can fulfil its role well without interference from the others. For example, MPs cannot interfere in court cases as that’s the responsibility of the judiciary.
Members of Parliament represent the voters in the House. MPs play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the people and Parliament. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that Parliament understand the needs and aspirations of the people and that the people understand what happens in the House – and how it relates to them.
We have a responsibility to serve all of New Zealand – not just any one group and regardless of whether they voted for us or not. However, it is undeniable that we have a better understanding of certain groups of voters based on our unique experiences, perspectives and contexts – and that we potentially connect better with them. For example, MPs who live in rural New Zealand tend to have a better understanding of the issues that disproportionately affect rural communities and connect better with rural voters. Similarly, as an MP of Indian origin, a woman, a migrant who came here as an international student, who grew up in Singapore – I bring to the House an understanding of and connections to these groups of voters that other MPs may not have.
For most of us, life as an MP is split between Parliament (when it’s in session) and the electorate (for me it’s further split between the various ethnic communities I engage with and Maungakiekie – the electorate I am based in).
Parliament is a unique place with specific protocols, rules – and incredibly long hours. The days we spend in Parliament start early in the morning with caucus meetings or select committee meetings, followed by Question Time after a lunch break and then debates in the House till the House rises at 10pm. A speaking list is issued each morning that tells us which MPs will speak in the House that day – and about which Bill.
In my next article, I’ll go into more detail about select committees – often described as the engine room of Parliament – and also the roles of electorate and List MPs.
For now, I end by sharing part of the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s historic speech at Waitangi this year, slightly paraphrased. One day I want to be able to say that I earned the right to be in Parliament, and only you can tell me when I have done that. We will not always agree, but I will listen and act to the best of my ability. Hold me to account for the things I have said I’ll do. I may not always get it right, but as the Whakatauki (Maori saying) goes,
“Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi. With your basket and my basket the people will live.” (There’s only so much I can do alone, but together we can achieve so much).