“Today’s Education and Workforce Committee was a perfect example of why we need the Epidemic Response Committee back,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“Opposition MPs were repeatedly shut down by Labour Party Chair Marja Lubeck, while Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood was able to repeatedly attack the Opposition without any effort to stop him.
“ACT MP Chris Baillie tried to ask about the impact the lockdown was having on small businesses, but his question was ruled out of order before he was even able to finish asking it.
“When another Opposition MP was asking a series of good questions about employers requiring workers to be vaccinated, he was interrupted by the Chair to give a patsy question to a backbench Labour MP.
“This is not what democracy should look like, especially in midst of a lockdown that impacts every single New Zealander.
“The Opposition has an important role to play. That’s why ACT has launched a petition to Bring Back Democracy.
“Jacinda Ardern told us that Select Committees were a good enough alternative, the Education and Workforce Committee has proved that is not the case.”