Drawn

The usual ballot for Member's Bills was held today, and the following bill was drawn:

• Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill (Steve Chadwick)

This is an interesting result, given that Jacqui Dean's rivial bill has just been sent to committee - but I've been told that it won't fall foul of Standing Order 265. One bill proposes an exemption from the law for a particular area (it is pork for Wanaka), while the other proposes a procedure by which local communities can decide for themselves. I'm not sure what provisions there are for a select committee to consider bills in parallel, but I'd hope that they do it in this case.

There were only 29 bills in the ballot today, and only one new one: Sue Bradford's Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Bill. As usual the Greens and ACT used all their slots, Labour made no effort, and National again failed to reach its leader's stated aim of having every MP put a bill forward.