This week at Parliament is not strictly a member’s week. Wednesday is not put aside for the consideration of possible laws suggested by back-benchers. And yet an extra session has been arranged for Wednesday morning for MPs to debate Members’ bills, including some bills of note.
As for government business, the House looks likely to focus on passing three or more significant bills that will definitely draw attention.
Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
Before anything gets debated though, each normal sitting day will bite some more out of the Debate on the Prime Minister’s Statement, which should be finished by the end of the week.
Members’ bills: Revenge porn, sunscreen and abortion safe zones
The extra session for Member’s bills is a ‘catch-up’ session promised by Chris Hipkins last year. After the House lost sitting weeks to Covid-19 in 2021 it added a few extra morning sessions to make up time - but that was for government business. It is still playing catch-up on the time available for member’s bill debates.
The member’s bills up for consideration include committee stages for a bill to amend the law on ‘revenge porn’ and one to regulate sunscreens. After those (if they are not filibustered to delay reaching it) there is the remains of a second reading debate on safe areas around abortion services.
Government bills: ‘Conversion’ ban, green vehicles and drug driving
Top of the agenda is the final reading of the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill which bans harmful attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. At the committee stage last week that bill had just seven MPs against it so a successful third reading is pretty certain.
Two other bills also look likely to complete their Parliamentary journey’s.
The Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill introduces a carrot-and-stick approach to increasing cleaner, greener low emissions vehicles into the New Zealand light vehicle fleet.
The Land transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill introduces a testing and penalty regime for driving high.