In the ballot II

Here's another batch of private member's bills currently in the ballot. The previous batch can be found here.

Resource Management (Climate Protection) Amendment Bill (Jeanette Fitzsimons): This bill would amend the RMA to allow local bodies to consider the effects on climate change when granting air discharge consents. They used to have this power, but it was removed by the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Act 2004, on the basis that the government would develop a national policy statement instead. This hasn't happened, and in the meantime projects such as Marsden B are slipping through the gap.

Head of State Referenda Bill (Keith Locke): This bill provides for a series of referenda on the selection of our head of state, and ultimately whether we become a republic. As with the MMP referenda, it would use a two stage process. The first would ask the public to choose between the status quo, a head of state appointed by Parliament, or one directly elected by the people. If either of the latter two options is successful, there would be a second, run-off referendum between that option and the status quo. If we choose an appointed or elected head of state, the monarchy would be abolished, and a "twink" republic established.

The bill has received substantial attention in republican circles, and Lewis has a detailed analysis here. I've also got some minor comments here. This is a bill I would very much like to see drawn, though the time may not yet be right.

Land Transport (Left Hand Law) Amendment Bill (Dr Lockwood Smith): This bill would amend the Land Transport Act 1998 in an effort to improve traffic flow on the roads and enhance road safety. It would require slow-moving vehicles to use the left-most lane on multi-lane highways, or pull over to allow other traffic to pass on narrower roads. It would also allow cars to freely turn left at red lights. Another "pet peeve" bill, clearly born of being stuck behind too many tractors.

Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill (Steve Chadwick): Another Easter Sunday trading bill. Unlike Jacqui Dean's version, this would put the decision in the hands of local authorities (provided they follow a special consultative procedure) rather than central government, and includes the standard protective clause for workers in affected areas so that they do not have to work on Easter Sunday by default. IMHO, it's the better of the two bills; if we're going to allow geographic exclusions to the law, then it seems to be that those decisions should be in the hands of local communities rather than central government. But I'm also not sure whether the special consultative process is robust enough compared to (say) a local referendum held alongside local body elections.

I'll do another post when more bills trickle in. Many MPs are still not back at Parliament, and so haven't been able to respond to my inquiries yet.