The Labour Party's paid parental leave bill is effectively dead in the water after National MPs prevented it from getting through its committee stage.
The bill which would have extended paid parental leave to six months needed to pass the committee stage in order to have its third and final reading before Parliament rises next month.
However, National MPs stalled for hours by dragging out the debate on Wednesday.
The bill has majority support in Parliament, but the Government had already said it would veto it at its third reading.