Parliament's press gallery is meeting in an attempt to get politicians to think again before they change the rules over coverage of the debating chamber.
Proposed new rules would see a contempt of Parliament if what happens in the debating chamber is satirised, or if MPs are ridiculed of denigrated.
Press gallery chairman Vernon Small says the contempt aspect is a worrying trend. He says in the past journalists have only been banned from the Parliamentary restaurant Bellamy's. Small says he stopped laughing when he saw the contempt of Parliament possibility in the rules.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says the changes actually open up the coverage, allowing cameras to film the reactions of politicians. She is telling the media they have got little to worry about. Miss Clark says MPs will be able to be filmed saying silly things and journalists are getting a little over excited.
Under the new rules, limited reaction shots will be allowed to be filmed, where previously TV cameras had to focus on whichever MP was speaking. Still photographers have been excluded in the changes. Speaker Margaret Wilson says still photographs cannot reflect the context of proceedings and the House could be disturbed if photographers were moving in the public gallery.
The new rules have been published and will be debated on Thursday. Parliament's press gallery will make submissions on the rule changes.
