Earlier in the month, we learned that Parliament was not enabling Green MP Mojo Mathers (who is profoundly deaf) to do her job properly. There was widespread public outrage at this, and it has crystallised in a formal petition to Parliament calling for live closed captioning of Question Time. The petition was submitted to the House at the beginning of Question Time today, with 5,379 signatures. Another 500 have signed it since it was submitted
Hopefully this will be enough to prompt change. Though it seems that the Speaker is still dragging his feet, refusing to bring forward a meeting of the Parliamentary Services Commission. The government is only getting around to appointing the additional members required by law, and doesn't seem to be in any hurry to do so, with the appointment motion well down the Order Paper (today its at number 14). Faced with a fundamental issue of discrimination, which is impeding an MP in the exercise of her constitutional duties, National is sitting on its hands. I wonder if that counts as Contempt of the House?
