ACT leader Rodney Hide may be proud to be the new Associate Education Minister but because the right paperwork wasn't done he can't be asked questions in Parliament about his new job.Mr Hide was appointed Associate Minister of Education responsible for sp
ACT leader Rodney Hide may be proud to be the new Associate Education Minister but because the right paperwork wasn't done he can't be asked questions in Parliament about his new job.
Mr Hide was appointed Associate Minister of Education responsible for special education in September.
The role was previously held by ACT MP Heather Roy but she lost that job and her other ministerial responsibilities after being demoted as ACT deputy leader role after internal ructions in her party.
Mr Hide yesterday made an announcement about a review of the sector.
However in Parliament today Labour's Grant Robertson said the clerk's office told him he couldn't put a question to Mr Hide because the Government had not done the paper work giving him the delegation.
"I could put a question to the honourable Heather Roy because as far as the clerk's office is concerned she still has the delegation," Mr Robertson said.
But that would be a bit tricky given he wanted to ask Mr Hide about his announcement yesterday.
"We should be able to hold him to account in the House for that... It seems particularly difficult for the Opposition to hold a minister to account if we can't actually ask him questions in the House."
Speaker Lockwood Smith agreed but confirmed that he had to be informed of changed delegations and that hadn't been done.
"I cannot accept questions to a supposed associate minister if I do not have that determination from the Government."
Mr Robertson asked if Dr Smith if he could get some action but he said that was up to the Government.
National's John Carter stepped in and said he would make sure the paper work was done.
Mr Hide went on to answer the question, but on behalf of Education Minister Anne Tolley and not as her associate.
Another attempt to embarrass the government did not go so well. About a quarter of an hour was wasted trying to get National's David Bennett to say whether he sent a letter to an Auckland student asking her to make another submission.
In the end Dr Smith ruled he did not have to answer because it was select committee business.
The exchange was over a submission by Natalie Williams, 21, whose submission was rejected as offensive because she suggested Prime Minister John Key be put on a 90 day trial.
