Live-streaming and video-conferencing make select committee meetings more accessible

From Stewart Island to Cape Reinga, Parliament is making it easier for people from anywhere in the country to get involved with select committees and have their say.

Parliament is launching live-streaming and and video-conferencing of some select committee rooms from June 2018.

Select committee meetings at Parliament are open to the public and now you can watch some select committee meetings live on Facebook, from anywhere in the country.

You can also make an oral submission to select committees by video-conference , from anywhere in the country.

Deputy Clerk Rafael Gonzalez-Montero says making select committee meetings more accessible is an exciting development.

“Select committees focus on issues that affect all New Zealanders, like health and justice, so we want to make it easier for more people to watch select committee meetings.

“We also want to make it easier for people to talk to select committees, to let them know how the issues they are considering will affect them. Now it’s going to be much simpler for people who live outside of Wellington, and people with physical challenges, to have their say at Parliament.”

The new initiative is currently available for select committees meeting in select committee rooms one and two.

Select committees are small groups of MPs from different parties who work together to look at different issues in detail. Committees meet regularly and often call for submissions, to help them make informed decisions.

Making submissions gives people a chance to have their say and helps MPs understand how a law change could affect New Zealanders. Select committees are interested in opinions and ideas from anyone.

You can ask to talk to the relevant committee in person when you make a submission electronically on the Parliament website, or in writing. If you live outside of Wellington, you will be contacted to ask if you want to make a submission by video-conference.

People making a submission by video-conference will need to be able to connect via PC, tablet, Android or Apple devices.

Parliament has 12 subject select committees covering business, economic development, science and innovation, education and workforce, environment, finance and expenditure, foreign affairs, defence and trade, governance and administration, health, justice, Māori affairs, primary production, social services and community and transport and infrastructure.

For more information about select committee lives-streaming and video-conferencing:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/

To find out what’s open for submission:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/business-before-committees/

How select committees work:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/video?itemId=21839

ENDS

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