23 May 2019

The House today - Thursday 23 May 2019

From The House , 9:00 am on 23 May 2019

It's the shortest day of a sitting week but that doesn't mean there isn't work to do.

Question time will take place first and then MPs work on an iwi settlement bill and a couple of bills relating to earthquakes.

Question time - 2pm

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  The main entrance to the debating chamber with the bars drawn. The bars are usually open unless a non-MP or non-chamber official is called to appear in front of the House. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

This is the most popular and familiar part of a sitting day. It’s also one of the quickest consisting of 12 oral questions to Ministers from other MPs.

It’s a mixture of opposition questions which hold the government accountable and softer questions which allow Ministers to share some achievements.

Follow-up questions, called supplementaries, are a privilege not a right and the Speaker is in charge of whether or not they’re allowed.

The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition aren't usually in the House on a Thursday so the main questions fall to their deputies.

Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill (No 2) - third reading

Maori Affairs Select Committee room at Parliament 23 Feb 2018

The walls of the Maori Affaris Select Committee room where iwi settlement bills are examined and members of the public often appear to share their views. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

What:

  • The Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill (No 2)
     

  • A third reading debate is a summary of the bill’s purpose and often reflects on the journey it has taken to get to this final stage in the House. Iwi usually turn up in the public galleries and sing waiata after a bill is passed. This bill went through its committee stage earlier in the week.
     

  • This bill gives effect to the deed of agreement between ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou and the Crown and replaces a bill of the same name signed in 2008.
     

Who:

  • Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little.

Why:

  • The old bill from 2008 gave effect to agreements reached under the now repealed Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou and the Crown agreed to amend the 2008 deed and align it with the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 which is what this new Bill will do.  

  • Settlement bills aim to resolve historical claims by Māori against the crown for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi before 1992.

  • The Treaty, which was signed in 1840, gave sovereignty to the British Crown, allowed Māori to keep rangatiratanga (chieftainship) over their resources while giving the Crown first dibs on any land up for sale, and granted Māori the same rights as British citizens.

  • Settlements include some redress to set things right which can be cultural, commercial, or financial. Once a settlement is reached it becomes law.

All in favour?

  • This bill had support of the whole House at its second reading.

Building Bill - second reading cont’d

A yellow sticker warns of damage at main street bar Adelphi Hotel in Kaikōura.

A yellow sticker warns of damage at main street bar Adelphi Hotel in Kaikōura. Photo: RNZ / Ian Telfer

What:

  • The Building Amendment Bill

  • The Bill proposes two new sets of powers for the government manage buildings after a disaster, and to investigate buildings that ‘fail’.

  • A bill at its second reading has normally spent about six months at a select committee which writes a report on it. The report from the Transport and Infrastructure Committee with some suggested changes can be found here.

Why:

  • The Christchurch and Kaikoura Earthquakes highlighted gaps in government’s powers to deal with the aftermath of when the earth goes bang. This bill seeks to remedy that, including: giving the government more power to investigate buildings that ‘fail’ (like the CTV building in Christchurch for example); to inspect, notify, evacuate, demolish, etc. The powers have time limits.

Who:

  • Minister of Building and Construction Jenny Salesa

All in favour?

  • This bill passed its first reading with unanimous support in the House.

Earthquake complaints - third reading

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Photo: EQC, Christchurch, earthquake, Earthquake Commission

What:

  • The Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill

  • The Bill sets up a tribunal to help resolve insurance claims between policyholders and insurers, people with insurance and the Earthquake Commission. Claims have to relate to damage caused by the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

  • A bill that's up for its second reading has usually been through a select committee process which results in a report on the bill. The report form the Governance and Administration Committee can be found here.

Why:

  • The tribunal will aim to help solve long-standing insurance claims to help policyholders and insured people  “obtain some closure” so they can move on with their lives.

  • First readings are usually a chance to outline the bill and debate its purpose before it’s sent to a select committee for public consultation (if it passes the first reading).

Who:

  • Minister for Courts Andrew Little is in charge of this bill.

All in favour?

  • The bill passed its second reading with support of the whole House. Votes were split on different suggested amendments at the committee stage but the report on the bill was adopted. Most bills that make it to a third reading are unlikely to fail.

House adjourns - 6pm

The House sits from 2pm on scheduled sitting days with a dinner break at 6pm till 7:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It then resumes sitting until 10pm often interrupting a debate. On Thursdays the House finishes up for the week at 6pm.

You can see how much the House gets done each sitting day by going here: Daily progress in the House

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Photo: New Zealand Parliament