Wednesday, February 10, 2010



In the ballot XXXVI

Another batch of Member's Bills currently in the ballot. Previous batches are indexed here:

Climate Change Response (Cancellation of Emissions Trading Scheme) Amendment Bill (John Boscawen): does exactly what it says on the label, by repealing part 4 of the Climate Change Response Act 2002. Interestingly, it doesn't repeal the sector-specific provisions in part 5, including the free allocation to polluters - so if passed unamended, would see billions in credits given to polluters with no requirement to return them to cover emissions.

Depleted Uranium (Prohibition) Bill (Phil Twyford): part of an international push to ban depleted uranium, this bill would ban the manufacture, storage, transfer and use of depleted uranium weapons and armour within New Zealand or by New Zealanders overseas, with a penalty of 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to $500,000. The bill was developed by the New Zealand Progressive Bills Project.

Employment Relations (Probationary Period Repeal) Amendment Bill (Carmel Sepuloni): Again does exactly what it says on the label: repeals National's hated 90-day probationary period for new workers, and restores the law to the status quo ante before National rammed its change through under urgency with no select committee scrutiny. This is a bread and butter issue for Labour, but has no chance of passing in the current Parliament.

As usual, I'll have more bills as I acquire them.