Why did Labour give National the tools it wanted to frustrate legislative progress? A technically unopposed election of the Speaker in exchange for a less-than-ideal select committee make-up? Ardern maintains Labour didn't "buckle" on select committee numbers and there was always going to be a conversation about how many MPs they had. When a bill passes its first reading, it goes to the appropriate select committee to be scrutinised. In March, the standing orders committee, which was headed by National, recommended the number of select committee places be reduced to 96.

Source: Stuff November 08, 2017 01:18 UTC