Busy routine as I find my place in House | Columns

Opinion

The first two weeks of the new Parliamentary term have certainly opened my eyes as to what the next three years will involve and I am learning very quickly where to find information and how the select committee works.

It is a very interesting place, loaded with history and intrigue and it makes one realise what a huge privilege it is to be elected to represent the people of the Rangitikei electorate in Parliament.

There are many issues to confront on a daily basis and they are much more diverse than those facing a mayor.

However, we have wonderful support and can usually get an answer to most questions even if they are not always the answer the inquirer would have liked.

My week starts with Monday in the electorate and that could be anywhere from Taumarunui, Raetihi or Ohakune and Taihape in the north to Feilding or Palmerston North in the south.

On Tuesday morning I am required to be in Wellington by 8.30am for our first meeting of the week, followed by the party caucus meeting and then into Parliament for a 2pm start, breaking at 6pm for an hour and a half before resuming at 7.30pm and running through until ten.

Wednesday starts early, cleaning up office work followed by another 8.30am meeting, and then on to my first select committee of the week in Law and Order.

The day then follows the parliamentary routine - except that I am on House duty from 8.45pm until 10pm which means I must remain in the House during that time.

On Thursday, I have two select committees, Regulation Review at 8.30am and Primary Production at 10am.

They can often run through until lunchtime at 1pm before the House resumes at 2pm. In a normal week, I would expect to be back in the electorate again on a Friday.

The weekend will often find Sue and I attending events in the electorate and to this end the role is very similar to the role I found myself in as mayor.