Member's Day

Today is a Member's Day, and with the government's filibuster broken, its first readings all the way. First up is Damien O'Connor's Underground Coal Mining Safety Bill, which aims to bring our mine safety regime up to the level of Australia. I expect the government to vote against. Next there's Iain Lees-Galloway's Electoral (Adjustment of Thresholds) Amendment Bill, which will implement the main recommendations of the Electoral Commission's review of MMP. I expect the government to vote against that one too, and I'm not sure there's a majority to advance it (which I'm not exactly heartbroken about, because those recommendations would actually decrease the proportionality of our Parliament). After that its Winston Peters' SuperGold Health Check Bill (more pork for old people) and Alfred Ngaro's Local Government (Auckland Council) Amendment Bill (No 3) (which is a minor tidy-up which should be a government bill). If the House moves quickly, it might make a start on Meka Whaitiri's Environmental Protection Authority (Protection of Environment) Amendment Bill.

There is likely to be a ballot for three or four bills tomorrow, and with no Member's Bills in the select committee pipeline, we're likely to see that every member's day cycle until at least October. And the only way the government can stop the flow of opposition bills to the House is for some of them to start passing. maybe that filibuster wasn't such a good idea after all?