Today in Parliament

Leave granted for Parliament to sit until midnight Thursday to pass a land transport bill. Normally it would rise at 10 pm under urgency but by extending the time it means a Friday sitting is avoided.

Q1 is Nick Smith to Chris Carter on what talks he or his office had which led Bob Harvey to say the Minister would turn down the Marina proposal. Carter confirmed he did speak to Harvey but denies he said anything improper.

Nice supp. from Smith – “Does he consider it due process to tell your mates in advance what the decision is, get them to arrange e-mails in support, and then use the existence of such e-mails as justification for his decision!”

Q5 on Christchurch Polytechnic was great. First of all we find that no money has been repaid yet for the $15 million Cool IT course despite 3% completion rate only. And then Ron Mark asks Cullen whether he can confirm that the Polytechnic has purchased art works painted by no other person than the outgoing CEO. Cullen looks bemused and said he would welcome any such information.

Overall mostly fairly boring.