The House is currently in extended hours, working all morning in the place of traditional urgency. But when they get back from lunch it will be a Member's Day. First up is the second reading of a private bill, which should whizz through, but after that its on to the real stuff. Today we'll see Michael Woodhouse's Fair Trading (Soliciting on Behalf of Charities) Amendment Bill deservedly become law, giving us better oversight of charity collectors. We should also see Kennedy Graham's Register of Pecuniary Interests of Judges Bill sent to select committee, and the first reading of Phil Twyford's Depleted Uranium (Prohibition) Bill. The latter is particularly timely given that kiwi soldiers returning from Afghanistan are being tested to see if they have been poisoned with uranium by our American "allies". Finally, if things go particularly quickly, the House might make a start on Jacqui Dean's Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Waitaki Easter Trading) Amendment Bill.
All of which sets us up for the mother of all ballots tomorrow. There are almost 60 bills in the ballot, including two on marriage equality. I wonder what we'll see drawn?
Update: Today's Order paper is finally out, and the private bill has been combined with a government one (and thus will be read in Government time). We're still not likely to get much beyond Dean's bill, however, but we'll see a ballot for three bills tomorrow.
