Member's Day

This morning is a special Member's Day, held in an extended sitting as a catch-up for time lost to urgency during the pandemic. That's a good principle for Parliament to adopt, and I'd like to see it happen more often. Too often in the past we've seen governments casually use urgency to steal members' time, a practice which displays contempt for both MPs and Parliament. Establishing a practice that that doesn't happen, or if it does then the time must be made up, would be a valuable change and a limit on the power of government.

As for the business, unfortunately its practically all "law and order" bullshit. First up is the Committee Stage of Darroch Ball's Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill. Then there's the First Reading of Stuart Smith's Insurance (Prompt Settlement of Claims for Uninhabitable Residential Property) Bill, which is designed ot fix some of the mess Gerry Brownlee left in Christchurch. Following that is Brett Hudson's Arms (Firearms Prohibition Orders) Amendment Bill (No 2), which NZ First has suddenly decided ot back in a desperate play for the vicious vote. Then its Darroch Ball again with the Oranga Tamariki (Youth Justice Demerit Points) Amendment Bill, which is ultimately about trying to stick young people in jail (because NZ First hates them). If the House moves quickly it might make it to Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki's District Court (Protection of Judgment Debtors with Disabilities) Amendment Bill. There should be a ballot for three or four bills tomorrow.