SPEAKING TO SELECT COMMITTEE
If you made a submission and asked to speak, the Environment Select Committee will likely contact you soon to make your oral submission. Here is some useful information to support you to make an impactful submission.
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We are watching the Select Committee process closely and will be pushing to make sure the committee hears everyone who has asked to speak. Read our press release on this here.
350 Aotearoa has produced useful slides on the process and what to expect here.
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Former MPs Catherine Delahunty and Sue Bradford (who have sat on Select Committees) have put together some useful pointers about making your oral submission.
1. If you are going as a group with more than one person, be aware that it takes up a lot of time to go through intros of each person in your org.
2. If more than one of you is going to speak, rehearse ahead of time and know exactly how long each of you will take. You cannot afford to do the usual mihi etc with time constraints. This applies to the 5 minute presentation too- any mihi needs to be very brief, even if feels wrong to do it this way.
3. State your expertise in any field (very briefly) and why you here today. It is good to surprise the committee with your background so they cannot stereotype you.
4. Talk briefly about what is most problematic in Bill for you or your group - 3 minutes only
5. Even if just making one key point - often useful to use a story which has some emotional appeal even if that takes up - say - 2-3 mins, rather than talk in generalities or try to rush key points.
6. Clarify if you suggesting the Bill be dropped or amended.
7. Prepare for individual MPs to ignore you throughout the process.
8. Leave time for questions and expect unhelpful ones or even none. If they get technical with you and you are confused, just restate you are not a lawyer but this is your problem with the Bill.
9. Finish with one strong point - i.e.The Bill is anti Te Tiriti, anti- democratic, environmentally damaging and a risk to companies through Fast-Track when the law is repealed
10. Even if you get really angry or annoyed with MP rudeness, aggression or distraction - try to ignore it as much as you can, and carry on. Being angry yourself is a negative in these circumstances.
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