How not to answer a question, and other lessons from Parliament

A dispute during Question Time this week was packed with lessons on asking questions in Parliament, and especially how not to answer them.

National MP Tama Potaka answering media questions on 'the tiles'.

During Question Time on Wednesday, MPs in the House argued at length about something usually hidden from view.

The to-and-fro was pretty fascinating for political geeks, but it was also full of lessons. It illustrated aspects of how Question Time is prepared, how it works, the political considerations that can feed into that - and showed how not to answer a question.

How not to answer a question

A question began all of this. It was not in the House. It was from Stuff reporter Glenn McConnell on Parliament's Tiles on Tuesday. He was asking National's Tama Potaka (Associate Minister Housing - Social Housing) about homelessness. Specifically, about data suggesting no one knew the housing status of one in five children previously in emergency housing.

The crucial section was this:

McConnell - "Are you worried that some are now homeless?"

Potaka - "No, no, I'm not worried that some are now homeless... ."

Potaka's answer was much longer but he had already lost control of the narrative, which was now 'minister not worried that children are homeless'.

This is one reason politicians seldom answer the question they are asked, but instead ignore its premise and offer their own. It stops them accidentally creating a horrible soundbyte.

It wasn't surprising that, on Wednesday, opposition parties were keen to ask questions on the topic. Both Labour and Green parties had questions scheduled.

Unwrecking a train

For the Greens, Tamatha Paul addressed Potaka's poor choice of words.

"Does he stand by his statement relating to the drop in children living in emergency accommodation, "I'm not worried that some are now homeless", and, if so, is that why funding for community housing providers has reduced to only 750 new places a year, under his Government?"

This time the Minister was ready. He began by trying to clear the previous day's trainwreck from the tracks, before having a better crack at replacing it with his own narrative.

"In the context in which the question was asked, and in relation to Priority One, I am absolutely confident that those 1,110 children have been placed out of emergency housing and into a warm, safe, dry home between April and July. I am confident and very aware that they are no longer homeless ... ."

He repeated the words 'warm, dry, and safe' multiple times across his answers - working to reinforce his own chosen message.

Negotiating Question Time…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details