Two Labour MPs apologised for swearing during a hearing that saw Regulations Minister David Seymour hit out at “unparliamentary” and “improper” suggestions of undue influence over his new ministry.
The Scrutiny Week hearing for Seymour kicked off with Labour MP Deborah Russell, saying, to a colleague “for f… sake” while Seymour delivered his opening remarks.
That was overheard by National MP Ryan Hamilton, who alerted the chairperson to what he called a “rather unparliamentary outburst”.
“I just wonder if that is the standard we should expect, before the questions have even started,” Hamilton said.
The Finance and Expenditure committee chairperson, National’s Cameron Brewer, at first tried to move on with the hearing – but Seymour said he wanted to know what had been said.
“I’m sorry, what was the unparliamentary outburst? Would Deborah Russell like to tell us,” Seymour asked.
She replied, “It was something I should have kept under my breath. I apologise.”
But Seymour pressed on: “Well, just tell, people would like to know.”
And so Russell did tell the committee: “I believe I said for ‘f… sakes’ in response to something you’ve said,” Russell said, as Seymour chuckled at her response.
She apologised, but Seymour said that was “the standard of the Labour Party”.
Later in that same hearing, Labour’s Duncan Webb had to “withdraw and apologise” for saying Seymour was “making shit up”. The
committee chairperson deemed that to be swearing.
There were some heated exchanges between the Opposition and minister, with Webb in particular questioning how the Government decides on what sectors to “de-regulate”.
A key purpose of this new ministry, the Ministry of Regulation, is to conduct sector reviews to consider what regulations could be changed or renewed to boost productivity.
Webb questioned if the sectors that had been reviewed – namely agriculture and early childhood education – had received attention due to the influence of wealthy players in those markets.
Seymour said Webb’s line of questioning was “unparliamentary” and dismissed the implication that he had been influenced by party connections or donations.
“The suggestion that there is some sort of improper influence is entirely wrong and it is unparliamentary,” Seymour replied.
Ministry for Regulation boss Gráinne Moss said it had been her ministry, not the minister, to suggest they reviewed rules around farming.
