December 14, 2025 • 6 mins
Penny Simmonds looks at a busy week in parliament leading into the Christmas break.
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This says the Master. Penny Simmons is MP from the Cargo.
She is a Minister for the Environment as well. Penny,
good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yes, good afternoon, Andy, And what a stunning weekend it's been.
And I arrived back from Wellington on Saturday afternoon and
it's been a beautiful Saturday Sunday. And the reason I
arrived back on Saturday afternoon was we were sitting under
urgency or last week trying to get through some important legislation.
(00:41):
And people might wonder, you know why we sit under
urgency and why there are certain things we want to
get through and what the rules are around it. Because
on the Thursday night Friday morning, we were sitting till
twenty to two in the morning and that was around
the electoral amendment bell. So we started voting on it
(01:02):
at eleven thirty and once you start voting on something,
you can't stop until the voting's concluded. And the opposition
had put up two hundred amendments to the bill and look,
it's a pretty straightforward, sensible bill. It's setting the enrollment
deadline of thirteen days before an election. You might recall
(01:24):
a previous labor government allowed enrolling right up to including
election day, which caused all sorts of havoc. It also
disqualifies all sentenced prisoners that are detained in prison from
enrolling and voting, So again something pretty sensible. If you've
(01:44):
lost your freedom, it makes sense that you shouldn't actually
be able to vote, and that had been changed by
the previous government. And we've set an advanced voting period
of twelve days before the election. It was three weeks
which was just too long, prohibiting provision of free food,
drink and entertainment within one hundred meters at the voting
(02:06):
place entrance. You might recall the manor Era marai, the
hangy and barbecues and entertainment that was going on with
voting right there, and also expanding offenses of bribery and
treating and undue influence. Again coming from that situation on
(02:27):
the Marii, so sensible things that we were changing, but
the Opposition needed to put up two hundred amendments to
change it. So we went through till twenty to two
in the morning on that. But that's just part of
what happens when you're under urgency, and we finished twenty
to twelve on Friday nights, so we're able to get
(02:49):
home on Saturday, which was good. Andy, just acknowledging if
people have got friends and family over in Sydney. The
terrible terrorist event it has been designated by the government
by the Australian Government as a terrorist attack on the
(03:09):
Jewish community at Bondai Beach and just an awful, awful
thing to be happening people trying to celebrate a peaceful
event in the religious calendar. So just thinking of anyone
if they've got friends and family over there, and of
course the sixteen people who are deceased from that, and
(03:33):
I know it's going to be a tough time for
many over there over the Christmas coming Christmas break, Andy,
I was very pleased I managed to sneak away on
leave on Friday. They allowed me to come back to
Vicago and then shoot back to Wellington. They allowed me
to come on leave to see the SIT graduation, which
(03:56):
was just fabulous. It was a real celebration by the
community of st being back in coommunity hands and it
was great to be there for that first graduation under
now community ownership again. So that was a great way
to finish the year for SIT and Andy, I just
(04:17):
want to thank you for all the chats we've had
throughout the year and wish you and your family a
very merry Christmas. And to all your listeners, I hope
that they have a safe and enjoyable Christmas, enjoy a
bit of Christmas lamb and a Christmas Ham, and spend
(04:38):
some time with friends and family, which is one of
the most important parts of it.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah. I agree with everything you've said their penny, but
I do have one question regarding the one hundred meters
of a food and entertainment precinct from a polling booth.
On Australia they encourage having a sausage outside of polling booth.
Is that something we need to embrace perhaps, Look.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
It went too far around that Manuera Maria situation. One
hundred meters isn't that far. It's you could still have
a sausage sizzle, and I suspect they still are having
The Australian ones are but one hundred meters. You know,
you could have that out in the car park and
(05:21):
still not be within one hundred meters of the voting place.
So I don't think it's overly harsh, and it has
been abused in the past, and so we need to
clamp down on what was happening there.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Tell you what, when you're sitting till two o'clock in
the morning under urgency some pizza shop, the owners must
rub their hands of glee when they hear about what's
going on in parliament, right, yeah, yeah, they do.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
There might have been a bit of KFC around the
place and a pizza or two. So yep, that's what happens. Unfortunately,
not particularly healthy.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh no, it's just a matter of doing what you've
got to do. Penny, hey, will let you carry on.
Thanks very much for your contributions. Like you said before,
I hope you and the family have a great break
and we'll do it all again next year. Always appreciated
our chats.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Looking forward to it. Thanks Andy Bye.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Penny Simmons MP from McCargo. This is the Muster on
hockin Nuie. Remembering text Vett South to five double O
nine with your details to be in the draw to
one a two hundred dollars vet South voucher and merch
prize pack. Of course, this is the Muster Christmas giveaway.
A salute to the farmers. Up next for the music
stop and I'll keep talking anyway. Georgiett Welder from Vitts South.
(06:37):
Of course, vett South with the prizes today you're listening
to the muster
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This says the Master. Penny Simmons is MP from the Cargo.
She is a Minister for the Environment as well. Penny,
good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yes, good afternoon, Andy, And what a stunning weekend it's been.
And I arrived back from Wellington on Saturday afternoon and
it's been a beautiful Saturday Sunday. And the reason I
arrived back on Saturday afternoon was we were sitting under
urgency or last week trying to get through some important legislation.
(00:41):
And people might wonder, you know why we sit under
urgency and why there are certain things we want to
get through and what the rules are around it. Because
on the Thursday night Friday morning, we were sitting till
twenty to two in the morning and that was around
the electoral amendment bell. So we started voting on it
(01:02):
at eleven thirty and once you start voting on something,
you can't stop until the voting's concluded. And the opposition
had put up two hundred amendments to the bill and look,
it's a pretty straightforward, sensible bill. It's setting the enrollment
deadline of thirteen days before an election. You might recall
(01:24):
a previous labor government allowed enrolling right up to including
election day, which caused all sorts of havoc. It also
disqualifies all sentenced prisoners that are detained in prison from
enrolling and voting, So again something pretty sensible. If you've
(01:44):
lost your freedom, it makes sense that you shouldn't actually
be able to vote, and that had been changed by
the previous government. And we've set an advanced voting period
of twelve days before the election. It was three weeks
which was just too long, prohibiting provision of free food,
drink and entertainment within one hundred meters at the voting
(02:06):
place entrance. You might recall the manor Era marai, the
hangy and barbecues and entertainment that was going on with
voting right there, and also expanding offenses of bribery and
treating and undue influence. Again coming from that situation on
(02:27):
the Marii, so sensible things that we were changing, but
the Opposition needed to put up two hundred amendments to
change it. So we went through till twenty to two
in the morning on that. But that's just part of
what happens when you're under urgency, and we finished twenty
to twelve on Friday nights, so we're able to get
(02:49):
home on Saturday, which was good. Andy, just acknowledging if
people have got friends and family over in Sydney. The
terrible terrorist event it has been designated by the government
by the Australian Government as a terrorist attack on the
(03:09):
Jewish community at Bondai Beach and just an awful, awful
thing to be happening people trying to celebrate a peaceful
event in the religious calendar. So just thinking of anyone
if they've got friends and family over there, and of
course the sixteen people who are deceased from that, and
(03:33):
I know it's going to be a tough time for
many over there over the Christmas coming Christmas break, Andy,
I was very pleased I managed to sneak away on
leave on Friday. They allowed me to come back to
Vicago and then shoot back to Wellington. They allowed me
to come on leave to see the SIT graduation, which
(03:56):
was just fabulous. It was a real celebration by the
community of st being back in coommunity hands and it
was great to be there for that first graduation under
now community ownership again. So that was a great way
to finish the year for SIT and Andy, I just
(04:17):
want to thank you for all the chats we've had
throughout the year and wish you and your family a
very merry Christmas. And to all your listeners, I hope
that they have a safe and enjoyable Christmas, enjoy a
bit of Christmas lamb and a Christmas Ham, and spend
(04:38):
some time with friends and family, which is one of
the most important parts of it.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah. I agree with everything you've said their penny, but
I do have one question regarding the one hundred meters
of a food and entertainment precinct from a polling booth.
On Australia they encourage having a sausage outside of polling booth.
Is that something we need to embrace perhaps, Look.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
It went too far around that Manuera Maria situation. One
hundred meters isn't that far. It's you could still have
a sausage sizzle, and I suspect they still are having
The Australian ones are but one hundred meters. You know,
you could have that out in the car park and
(05:21):
still not be within one hundred meters of the voting place.
So I don't think it's overly harsh, and it has
been abused in the past, and so we need to
clamp down on what was happening there.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Tell you what, when you're sitting till two o'clock in
the morning under urgency some pizza shop, the owners must
rub their hands of glee when they hear about what's
going on in parliament, right, yeah, yeah, they do.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
There might have been a bit of KFC around the
place and a pizza or two. So yep, that's what happens. Unfortunately,
not particularly healthy.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh no, it's just a matter of doing what you've
got to do. Penny, hey, will let you carry on.
Thanks very much for your contributions. Like you said before,
I hope you and the family have a great break
and we'll do it all again next year. Always appreciated
our chats.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Looking forward to it. Thanks Andy Bye.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Penny Simmons MP from McCargo. This is the Muster on
hockin Nuie. Remembering text Vett South to five double O
nine with your details to be in the draw to
one a two hundred dollars vet South voucher and merch
prize pack. Of course, this is the Muster Christmas giveaway.
A salute to the farmers. Up next for the music
stop and I'll keep talking anyway. Georgiett Welder from Vitts South.
(06:37):
Of course, vett South with the prizes today you're listening
to the muster