Member's Day

Today is a Member's day, and it marks the end of the run of first readings and ballots we've had recently. Firstly, because bills are coming back from select committee, and their later stages will eat House time. And secondly, because National is likely to want to talk those bills out as much as possible, to reduce the chances of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill coming up before the election.

First up today we have the second reading of Chris Bishop's Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Interim Restriction Order Classification) Amendment Bill. This is a non-controversial bill aimed at fixing a bug in the censorship regime exposed by the fiasco over Into the River, and normally it would fly through (but see point two above). Then we have Sarah Dowie's Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill, which is also non-controversial (and a bit dull). If National fails in its filibuster, then the House will make a start on Marama Davidson's Local Electoral (Equitable Process for Establishing Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill, and if National doesn't filibuster at all then it will get to Parmjeet Parmar's Newborn Enrolment with General Practice Bill.

There should still be a ballot for one bill tomorrow. But despite all their big talk on the issue, no MP has offered a bill to repeal the archaic crime of blasphemous libel.