Televised Opening of Parliament

For those who do not get Sky Digital (Channel 54) you can view the opening (today and tomorrow) at R2. Has just started.

UPDATE: Commissioners have just walked in. Rod Donald’s empty seat is very noticeable.

In theory any three Judges of the High Court or higher can be sent as Commissioners. However they have sent the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal and the High Court Chief Justice.

UPDATE2: Those who affirmed (I think), not swore are Barker, Barnett, Beyer, Benson-Pope, Blumsky, Brash, Burton, Carter C, Chadwick, Clark, Cullen, Dalziel, Donnelly, Dyson, Fairbrother, Fenton, Fitzsimons, Gosche, Guy, Harawira, Hereora, Hide, Hobbs, Hodgson, Horomia, Kedgley, King A, King C, Key, Locke, Mackey, Maharey, Mahuta, Mallard, Moroney, Okeroa, Pillay, Power, Ririnui, Street, Swain, Tizard, Turia, Turei, Williamson, Wilson, Yates

Those who swore the oath on the bible were Anderton, Ardern, Auchinvole, Bennett D, Bennet P, Blue, Borrows, Bradford, Brown, Brownlee, Carter D, Carter C, Choudary, Clarkson, Coleman, Collins, Connell, Copeland, Cosgrove, Cunliffe, Dean, Dunne, Duynhoven, English, Field, Finlayson, Flavell, Foss, Gallagher, Goff, Goodhew, Goudie, Groser, Hartley, Hawkins, Hayes, Heatley, Henare, Hutchison, Hughes, Jones, Laban, Mapp, Mark, McCully, O’Connor, Paraone, Parker, Peachey, Peters, Pettis, Rich, Robertson, Roy E, Roy H, Ryall, Samuels, Sharples, Simich, Smith L, Smith N, Stewart, te Heuheu, Tisch, Tremain, Tolley, Turner, Wagner, Wilkinson, Woolerton, Worth,

Choudary swore on the Koran, Almost all Maori MPs swore in Maori, Harawira affirmed in Maori and I think tried to add in a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi and had to do it again. Sharples did much the same thing and also had to repeat. Looks like Sutton was missing. Turia just had to repeat it also. I think they know the Clerk will force them to do it again – this way they get to claim they swore to the Treaty but still get sworn in. Wong missing also.

It was hard to keep up so the list above is not authoritative. The rough stats are that 47 MPs affirmed, 71 swore an oath. The % affirming for each party are Labour 65%, National 15%, NZ First 14%, Greens 80%, Maori 50%, ACT 50% and 0% for United Future and Progressive.

Very quick Speaker election – around three seconds. Wilson nominated herself, no-one else nominated, and she was declared elected. She has made brief mention of Rod Donald’s service to the House.

UPDATE3: Speeches congratulating Wilson. Brash recalls she helped him get Reserve Bank job and they used to be on an Auckland unemployment committee together, along with Helen Clark. Finally a moment’s silence for Rod Donald.