Scrutiny Week: How does it work and what are the drawbacks?

The media desk at a busy Select Committee hearing during the 2025 December Scrutiny Week.

Analysis: Politicians are gearing up for verbal combat in the biannual select committee clash known as Scrutiny Week.

RNZ's press gallery reporting team will be covering these committees at length across the week, but first, here's a bit of a glimpse into what Scrutiny Week is, and how it came to be.

What is scrutiny week?

The concept is about setting aside a couple of weeks each year to scrutinise government spending and performance.