Whips Clash Over House Schedule (Press, 5 May 1986)

On 5 May 1986, tensions rose between the National and Labour Party whips in the New Zealand Parliament as they debated the effectiveness of the new Parliamentary timetable. MPs were enjoying their first day of a three-week break following a week where Parliament had sat for an extended 29 and a half hours under urgency provisions. This week saw heated exchanges in the chamber, leading to the ejection of three National MPs and the walkout of a group in protest. The Chief Opposition Whip, Mr Don McKinnon, expressed dissatisfaction with the new Parliamentary hours, asserting that they were not functioning as intended. In response, the Government's Chief Whip, Dr Michael Cullen, refuted these claims, accusing the Opposition of wasting time. Dr Cullen also criticized former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon, claiming he was undermining National's house tactics. The new Standing Orders mandated that MPs sit for three days but required longer hours. McKinnon highlighted that Parliament had sat for only 21 days, indicating a growing urgency to pass legislation. He noted that 50 bills had been carried over from the previous session, with another 17 introduced since then, but only eight had successfully progressed through all stages that year. He claimed the Government had been overly generous in allowing time for private members’ business, particularly referencing the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, and warned that such an approach could not continue indefinitely. In contrast, Dr Cullen disagreed with McKinnon's assessment, insisting that the Government was not lagging in its legislative agenda. He stated that few bills were awaiting introduction and that all necessary legislation had been passed, despite what he described as significant time-wasting by the Opposition, which necessitated the recent urgency. He cautioned that Sir Robert's interference with National’s tactics could jeopardise the leadership of Mr Bolger, predicting it would lead to a downfall similar to that of the previous leader, Mr McLay.

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