Pomp and ceremony gets Parliament underway

Parliament business got underway after the State Opening of the 54th Parliament, a ceremony of pomp and pageantry culminating in the Speech from the Throne.

Parliament business is underway after the State Opening of the 54th Parliament.

It began in ceremonial pageantry around the arrival of the Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro.

The State Opening was attended by cohorts of military officers from the Army, Air Force and Navy. Dame Cindy inspected them.

As part of a long-running tradition, Sandra McKie, the Usher of the Black Rod, led the Governor General in to the Parliament building for the State Opening.

Once inside, MPs gathered in the Legislative Council Chamber to hear Dame Cindy read the Speech from the Throne which is prepared by the new government and outlines its priorities and policy direction.

This was followed later in the day by the start of the Address in Reply debate, in which party leaders took first turns at responding to the government's priorities and plans.

The debate will continue in bits and pieces over the coming weeks, with 12 hours and 36 minutes worth of speeches remaining.

RNZ's The House - journalism focussed on parliamentary legislation, issues and insights - is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk.

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