MPs will work on the final stages of the Ngāti Hinerangi Claims Bill and an an extra day of bills from non-Ministers this week.
The Leader of the House Chris Hipkins is in charge of figuring out which order MPs will work on Government business Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
MPs are required to turn up to Parliament for scheduled sitting days outlined in a sitting calendar. In charge sorting out the order in which they'll work on business is the Leader of the House Chris Hipkins.
The plan can change day to day but below is what they'll likely work on this week.
Ngāti Hinerangi Claims Settlement Bill
Settlement bills aim to resolve historical claims by Māori against the crown for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi before 1992. Settlements include some redress to set things right which can be cultural, commercial, or financial. Once a settlement is reached it becomes law.
Most claims settlement bills are the final step to make years of negotiations official. They're often described as giving "effect to certain matters contained in the deed of settlement signed on 4 May 2019 between the Crown and Ngāti Hinerangi".
This deed will be the final settlement of all the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Hinerangi resulting from acts or omissions by the Crown before 21 September 1992.
Details on the settlement can be read in the Bill here.
Hipkins said third readings of claims settlement bills are quite a special occasions.
"It's often very emotional. There are people who come into the gallery who represent a long line of ancestors who are overwhelmed by the emotion of finally getting the redress or even the apology they've been looking for," he said.
"Very seldom are they particularly political. By and large the New Zealand Parliament now has taken a pretty unified approach to Treaty settlements, I think we all acknowledge that wrongs were done in the past that need to be righted."
Other bills up for consideration on Tuesday and Thursday (depending on how far through they get) include:
- Local Government (Rating of Whenua Māori) Amendment Bill
- Financial Market Infrastructures Bill
- Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill
- Incorporated Societies Bill
An extra Members' Day
Members' bills that are submitted to the ballot are assigned a number which is pulled from a biscuit tin bought in the 1990s. Photo: Supplied / Office of the Clerk
Members' days are held every alternate Wednesday that the House of Representatives (all the MPs) meets but one of them was skipped as a result of changes in Covid-19 alert levels earlier this year.
These days are set aside for debate on bills from MPs who are not Ministers.
The bills up for debate this Wednesday are:
- Adverse Weather-affected Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill from National MP Maureen Pugh
- Accident Compensation (Notice of Decisions) Amendment Bill from National MP Chris Penk
- Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill from National MP Todd Muller
- Policing (Killing a Police Dog) Amendment Bill from National MP Matt Doocey
- Holidays (Parent-Teacher Interview Leave) Amendment Bill from Labour MP Terisa Ngobi
Members' bills are picked from a ballot at random meaning MPs can sometimes wait years for their bill to be drawn for debate. But a bill that receives enough support across that House can be moved up the queue.
Other business
Questions for oral answer will still take place each day. Commonly referred to as Question Time, the hour set aside just after 2pm each sitting day allows for up to 12 questions to be asked of Ministers.
Follow up questions (supplementaries) are commonplace but only allowed at the discretion of the Speaker who can put a stop to them if MPs get out of line.
A general debate takes place after question time each Wednesday that the House is sitting. It's an hour of five minute speeches from MPs on any topic they choose. Most debates in the House require MPs to stick to the subject of the bill so this debate lets MPs talk about other issues they wouldn't normally be able to bring up in the debating chamber.
See how far the House gets each day on Parliament's website here.
