A bill that would offer additional protection for underground miners has been drawn from the member's ballot at Parliament.
The Underground Coal Mining Safety bill, in the name of Labour's West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor, was drafted following the Royal Commission report on the Pike River mining disaster.
Mr O'Connor says the Government has recently introduced new health and safety laws as a reult of that report, and his bill would guarantee miners the same protection Australia provides its miners.
He says the legislation would also check whether the Government's new mining laws are making good progress.