Parliament’s Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, has rebuked an MP for allowing lobbyists to construct an “art installation” and film in the Beehive.
A few days before the Budget was released, the Taxpayers Union released a video filmed from the Beehive Banquet Hall – the same space the Budget was released – that argued cuts to the public service were not significant.
The video, titled “Cuts in Context”, involved the construction of a cardboard box “art installation” in the Beehive.
Brownlee told Stuff there was no issue with political material being filmed in Parliament, but he said it was “totally inappropriate” for lobby groups to make use of the facilities – and publish material that had no clear connection to any MP.
“Parliament is not a place for others to come and use facilities in a way that is advantageous to their political viewpoint,” he said.
“The place is here for MPs to promote polices in line with their constituencies, but we don’t open the place up for messaging from other organisations without very specific permission.”
Brownlee said he made it clear to the MP that invited the Taxpayers Union to Parliament that this had gone against Parliament’s rules. He did not tell Stuff which MP had broken the rules, but the ACT Party confirmed they invited the Taxpayers Union to Parliament.
A spokesperson said the Speaker’s Office was told there would be a videographer at the event.
“We formally hosted the Taxpayers’ Union but no ACT MPs attended the event,” the spokesperson said.
“We understand permission to film was not explicitly sought.”
The video showed cardboard box towers illustrating the growth of the public service in recent years, with the organisation arguing recent job cuts – about 5000 – had not made a dent.
Stuff
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