Back in 2006, National kicked and screamed and its supporters in the sewer even threatened revolution over Labour's patchup to the mess caused by the Auditor-General's nonsensical, retrospective reinterpretation of Parliamentary Services. A key part of that patchup was an amendment to the Parliamentary Services Act (the "screw you, you're wrong" clause) clarifying the definition of funding entitlements for parliamentary purposes and providing a bright-line test of what was allowed and what was not until the Parliamentary Services Commission could agree on any changes. National opposed that amendment, despite it reflecting decades of Parliamentary practice.
That amendment has now expired. But yesterday National introduced a bill - the Parliamentary Service (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill - to reinstate it until the end of the year.
So, will we see the same outrage, threats and cries of "corruption" from the sewer? Once again, I'm not holding my breath.
