Overworked representatives

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 22

Overworked representatives

Mr Geoffrey Palmer's complaint that members of Parliament, are overworked should be taken seriously. Himself ‘a hardworking and conscientious member, he has taken up this cause not for the political mileage that can be made from it (for there probably is none) but from a genuine concern that as things are now. members cannot do properly the job they are elected to do. No-one can pretend the job is not onerous. In Wellington. Parliamentarians must make the country's laws and act as watchdogs on the executive arm of the Government, both Cabinet and the public service. In their constituencies they must act as local notables, attend to their constituents’ interests, answer innumerable questions, and deal with Government departments on their constituents’ behalf.

The formal debates in Parliament are only the tip of the work in law-making. In committees the members scrutinise and revise bills. If they had more time to consider bills.carefully and to consult their constituents about them, and more staff on whom they could call to do research, the country would get better laws. Their constituency work is important not just because of the help given to individuals who are in need or trouble, or puzzled by departmental decisions or practices, but also because it keeps the representatives in touch with grass-roots opinion. In marginal seats, members have a powerful reason to be good local members. In safer seats, they could feel tempted as other work presses in, to neglect their constituency work. Few do, but it would be better if the temptation were removed.

One possible solution to the problem is to increase yet again the number of members in the House of Representatives so that the load of work falls on more

shoulders; another is to provide the present members with more secretarial and other assistance. Both courses could be followed, but providing members with more assistance has become a matter of urgency. Backbenchers have to share a secretary in Wellington with another member. How many Ministers or heads of departments — whose activities the ordinary members are meant to watch on behalf of their constituents — would dream of making do with half a secretary each?

The cost may seem to some to be anargument against giving members more staff both in Wellington and the electorates, paid for by the State. Those likely to grumble at the cost may even be those who also make perennial but unjustifiable complaints that members are paid too much in any event and that such expenses should come out of their salaries. The cost of giving all members half-time secretarial assistance in the electorates has been estimated by Mr Palmer at about $1 million. This is a modest sum when such considerable benefits would result from freeing members of. Parliament for the more important duties of attending directly to the problems and concerns of more of their constituents and of ensuring better laws and better administration of existing lawsi

Mr Palmer has advocated a whole range of electoral and other reforms many of which, as he himself has acknowledged, are controversial and need deeper study; but the benefits which-would flow from giving individual members more help in Wellington and in their electorates overwhelm the minor drawbacks of cost and of slightly strengthening the position of incumbents.