UPDATED - the Winter Energy Payment legislation has been added to begin Thursday's roster (see below).
Thursdays are shorter in the House going from 2pm till 6pm (instead of finishing at 10pm) so there’s normally less business scheduled.
Question time - 2pm
The third and last question time for the week with the usual 12 questions to Ministers. The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition aren't usually in the House on Thursdays so the first questions often go to their deputies.
National Deputy Leader Paula Bennett (left) and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (right) in the House. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox / Phil Smith
Opposition MPs will throw curly questions to try and catch out the Government while government party MPs might ask patsy or soft questions so Ministers can share something positive they’ve achieved.
Supplementary (follow-up) questions happen next but they are a privilege not a right; the Speaker can give and remove these as they like.
Winter Energy Payments - first reading
What:
- The Social Security (Winter Energy Payment) Amendment Bill
- This bill makes sure that social security legislation allows the payment of the Winter Energy Payments that the government has planned for this year.
- Payments are planned for the 22-week period starting on 1 May 2019 and will be automatically paid to many beneficiaries and pensioners.
Who:
- Social Development Minister, Carmel Sepuloni is the minister in charge.
Tidy up internal affairs - second reading if not finished
What:
-
Second reading debate was started earlier this week but if it wasn’t finished it’ll carry on now.
-
It’s an omnibus bill meaning it will make changes to more than one Act including replacing the definition of disability assist dog in the Dog Control Act 1996 and updating the definition of income in the Rates Rebate Act 1973 to reflect changes arising from the Veterans’ Support Act 2014.
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A bill that’s reached second reading has come back from being considered by a select committee which often recommends changes. The report from the Governance and Administration Committee with suggested amendments can be found here.
Who:
This bill is in the name of Nanaia Mahuta who is Minister for Local Government.
Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
Why:
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The Bill responds to the New Zealand Productivity Commission’s July 2014 report Regulatory institutions and practices. The Commission found that finding time in Parliament’s calendar to update legislation can be difficult, and regulatory agencies often have to deal with out of date legislation. The Bill is an opportunity for minor and technical amendments to be implemented across the local government legislative regime.
Voting Online - second reading
What:
-
More of the second reading of the Local Electoral Matters Bill.
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It’s an omnibus bill meaning it will make changes to more than one Act. One of those changes is to “support the conduct of trials of novel voting methods” like online voting.
Who:
Also in the name of the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta.
Planning for well-being - second reading
What:
-
Puts some things back into the Local Government Act 2002 that were removed by the previous government and allows local governments to consider things like social, environmental and well-being in their planning process.
Who:
And another one for Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta.
See what the House manages to get through each day on the Parliament website here.
