"Plans on top of plans": Being parliament’s scheduler

Ever wanted a job that combines a very public tight-rope walk with solving fiendish puzzles? Helping The Leader of the House wrangle Parliament's Order Paper is just the thing.

On The House we often refer to a government minister titled Leader of the House. Currently that minister is Chris Bishop. In the previous administration it was Chris Hipkins and later Grant Robertson. As you can tell, it's a role typically held by a senior minister.

Listen to The House's interview with House Advisor Louis Donovan (and his predecessor, Peter Hoare).

One impossible job among many

The Leader of the House is responsible for managing a government's entire legislative agenda, including what is debated and passed by the House and when.

They coordinate with the Parliamentary Counsel Office (legislative drafters), and chair the Cabinet Legislation Committee (quality control). It's a job that necessitates 'managing' ministerial colleagues, so seniority helps. This all may sound difficult, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. With politics as its oil, parliament seldom runs smoothly. Any plan will be quickly upset: by a crisis, a political consideration, a late amendment, or even a tricksy coalition partner.

Being Leader of the House is a full-time job, but no senior minister has only one portfolio. Chris Bishop is also Minister for RMA Reform, of Housing, of Infrastructure, of Sports and Recreation, and an Associate Minister of Finance.

There are entire ministries to keep on top of those other roles, but only a solitary staffer assists with the Leader of the House role - the House Advisor, Louis Donovan.

The House chatted with Louis Donovan recently. You can listen to that chat (and a little from his predesessor at the link above).

Donovan points out that it is Chris Bishop, as Leader of the House, who makes the ultimate calls; but this underplays the three-dimensional sudoku that is Donovan's job.

It's not a job for someone who likes certainty. Anytime you think you have all the ducks lined up, one will fly away or get shot by circumstance.

"That's one of the fun challenges of this job, I guess," says Louis Donovan, "I've got quite a few spreadsheets that get changed every day, multiple times a day, but, yeah, it's my job."

There are endless pitfalls.

"My plans have to be able to adapt to everything... I don't think there's been a single sitting week yet where the plan that I wrote has been the plan that has ended up happening, but that's normal, and that's to be expected."

The Parliament's calendar and it's hazards …

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