Member's Day

Today is the first Member's Day of the new year. And its an unusual one. First, the government is eating half the time for its Budget policy statement, a regular setpiece "debate" on financial policy. Perhaps because of this, they've reshuffled the order paper, pushing the third reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill ahead of other business. Once that's done, the rest of the day will be spent on the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Amendment Bill. As there are unlikely to be any first readings, there is unlikely to be a ballot tomorrow.

Looking ahead, that local bill is likely to eat the first part of the next couple of Member's Days, but we might see some first readings and therefore some bills drawn before the House rises for the election.