29 May 2019

The House today: Wednesday 29 May 2019

From The House , 8:00 am on 29 May 2019

Today is a Government Wednesday, so no member’s bills. But a chance to progress bills before the budget debate takes up time; including pay equity, an earthquake tribunal, failed buildings, insolvency and possibly contempt.

Questions - 2pm till about 3pm

After the mace is on the Table, the Speaker has recited a prayer, and any bills/petition/papers are announced, the House moves into the most popular part of a sitting day, questions for oral answer (a.k.a. Question Time).

The Serjeant at Arms Places the Mace for the new Speaker Trevor Mallard

The Serjeant at Arms Places the Mace for the new Speaker Trevor Mallard Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Up to 12 oral questions are lodged with the Office of the Clerk in the morning (the assertions in primary questions are checked). Questions are directed to Ministers and can come from Opposition or governing party MPs. There can also be questions to non-ministers in charge of business (like the chair of a select committee), but these are in addition to the 12 primary questions.

Question time is a tool for the House to hold the Government to account. Opposition MPs will try to catch the government out, while governing party MPs tend to lob softer questions. Supplementary (follow-up) questions are common but not a right and it’s up to the Speaker to decide if they’ll be allowed.

Taupatupatu Whānui - The General Debate     3pm(ish)

What:

  • Twelve speeches of up to five minutes in length. Bigger parties get more speeches. This is the last debate before budget day so that’s likely to be a theme.

Why:

  • The general debate exists so MPs can discuss issues that debates on legislation don’t allow them to cover, so it can range widely. Sometimes party MPs coordinate their topics but that’s optional. There’s fewer rules generally and it can be both raucous and entertaining.

Recognising veterans -  first reading (continued)

What:

  • The Veterans’ Support Amendment Bill

  • In 2014 the Veterans’ Support Act was passed. It modernised rehabilitation and support for veterans who qualified.

  • Among its changes the bill will broaden criteria for those who qualify by to providing the Minister with the jurisdiction to make declarations in respect of historical (retrospective) deployments (ie, deployments that have already ceased).

Who:

  • The Minister for Veterans Ron Mark.

6 July 2017

Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Pay equity for support workers - first reading

What:

Why:

  • In July 2017 the then government signed a pay-equity agreement with vocational and disability support workers. In July 2018 the government signed a pay equity deal with mental health and addiction support workers. This legislation carries out elements of those agreements and brings further workers into line with the outcomes of the Terranova settlement.

All in favour?

  • This is a first reading so what various parties think about this legislation is still to be confirmed.

Who?

  • The Minister of Health, David Clark is in charge of this bill.
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Photo: RNZ / Eva Corlett

Managing earthquake insurance complaints - third reading (continued)

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.

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.

  • Third readings are a final chance to outline the bill's purpose and impact and debate whether its final shape is worthwhile.

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.

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Minister of Justice, Andrew Little Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Building Bill - committee stage

What:

  • The Building Amendment Bill

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

Why:

  • The Christchurch and Kaikoura Earthquakes highlighted gaps in the 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 and second reading with unanimous support in the House.

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Minister of Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Solving insolvency - committee stage

What:

  • The Insolvency Practitioners Bill

  • This bill “creates powers to restrict or prohibit individuals from providing insolvency services, and strengthens measures to automatically disqualify insolvency practitioners.”

  • This bill began back in 2013 but was apparently abandoned after a second reading nearly five years ago. Kris Faafoi revivified it and sent it back to Select Committee for a second look. It had already had a second reading so the second ‘second reading’ was called a ‘debate on a report from a Select Committee’. It’s passed that now and nearing the end of it’s journey to law.

Who:

  • In the name of Kris Faafoi as Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

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Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Reforming contempt - Second Reading

What:

  • The second reading of the Administration of Justice (Reform of Contempt of Court) Bill which reforms the law of contempt in New Zealand courts.

  • At its second reading the Parliament will hear back from the Justice Select Committee about possible changes required for the bill to be effective, based on public submissions.

  • The offence of contempt of court covers actions that could disrupt, prejudice or otherwise affect the ability of courts to carry out justice effectively. This bill updates and changes aspects of contempt.

Why:

  • Contempt law had been rewritten long enough ago that it still used the phrase “scandalises the court” (more or less defaming judges). So possibly time for at least a language update.  

Who:

All in favour?

  • This is one of those ‘machinery of government’ topics that sometimes receive support from the opposition as well. The report back from the Justice committee has no minority opinion so it reasonable to assume that this bill will receive wide support.

  • Our report of the first reading debate last year is here