If you’re looking to learn about Parliament, public law or politics, the best place to be is in the legislative chamber during sittings of Parliament. Right there in the mix of things, but kind of invisible.
In other words, you’d be in the Chamber Operations team, a small group managed by the Serjeant-at-Arms who are always on hand to ensure parliament is able to conduct its business smoothly.
Parliament Chamber Officers Finn Meredith and Charlotte Carter. Photo: Johnny Blades VNP
Finn Meredith is 22. He’s a Law and Politics Student, and for him the Chamber Officer job is ideal. He applied for the position after his older brother - who had done the same job while studying the same degree - left university.
“We make sure that the House and the debating chamber when it’s sitting, we just facilitate and make sure that it goes smoothly. If there are notes that need to be passed around by the members, that’s what we do, or if there are documents that need to be put on the table, amendments and what not, then it’s our job to make sure the right documents are at the right place at the right time,” he explained.
“So we have seats in the chamber, and you have to keep your eyes darting all over the place. Our number one priority is making sure the Clerk is bgin looked after, because they’re kind of in charge, and then it’s the Speaker. After that we’re just looking around the MPs, and they will put their hand up or something if they need us.”
When Parliament kicks off with Question Time there are three Chamber Officers assisting in the chamber - one positioned on the government side, one on the opposition side, and one at the back - keeping an eye on the whole view.
Charlotte Carter, also 22, is another Chamber Officer who is studying law, as well as international relations and public policy.
“I was just browsing the Parliament website, as you do, and stumbled on the careers page and saw there was an opening, and yeah the job sounded really interesting, and I’ve always wanted to work at Parliament, because I’ve always been really interested in politics, and through studying public law, like the law reform process. So yeah, I chucked in an application and a few years later, here we are," she explained.
Work and study synergy
“For our studies, it’s pretty perfect,” said Finn who added that he’d been lucky enough to be in the job for several years when unprecedented events presented new challenges for Parliament, such as the Christchurch Mosques terror attacks and the pandemic with all its disruptions.
“So I was there for all that historic legislation. During all the euthanasia debates, some nights we worked until 1:30am.
“I love it because it’s pretty awesome to be able to tell everyone you work at parliament. And if we have a law paper and it’s about what’s happening in Parliament, we often have better information than the lecturer does, because we were there.”
If they need to be at a lecture, it’s just across the road from Parliament, Carter noted.
“It’s really interesting seeing what I study pretty much come to life, and seeing how they all interact in a practical sense. Sometimes a lecturer will talk about a bill in a lecture, and then the next time I come to work that bill is on the order paper and the members are discussing it, which is quite funny.”
Attentiveness
Those working in the Chamber Operations team must be attentive. They witness the range of chamber activities: from sluggish, dragged out speeches to the intense theatre during question time and debate over contentious legislation.
“We do have some moments where things are a little bit more demanding, especially on Budget day when lots of documents are being delivered, and there’s a lot more things are going on.
"But sometimes on a Tuesday evening after dinner it’s often a bit more quiet. So it does ebb and flow a bit,” Carter said.
“A lot of the general debates are quite entertaining. And seeing MPs being kicked out of the chamber and escorted out for being naughty, that kind of thing, is quite entertaining.”
Parliament Chamber Officer Finn Meredith sits at the back of the chamber on a quiet evening session. Photo: VNP / Johnny Blades
Do the officers get bored during those long days in the chamber when the energy of debate has often flattened out?
“You get really good at standing, and just paying half attention” said Finn Meredith.
“Before I joined this job, I thought I wanted to be a politician, but they work a lot, so I don't want to be a politician any more.”
According to the Clerk of Parliament, David Wilson, a good number of the staff who work in the Chamber Team as students subsequently take up full-time roles in the Office of the Clerk. Chamber Team members have gone on to roles in Hansard, Parliamentary Law and Practice, Parliamentary Engagement and Select Committee Services on the back of their initial student jobs.
“It provides a really good foundation in the work of Parliament and the Office that helps when they move into full-time work and, of course, tells us quite a bit about their likelihood of success in those jobs,” Wilson said.
