The coalition will introduce legislation on a four-year Parliamentary term, subject to a referendum, with all three parties supporting it to a select committee.
The legislation will have a caveat, designed by the ACT Party as part of its coalition deal, that the term would only extend to four years if there were greater checks and balances on the government of the day.
It would mean unless the make-up of select committees was made proportionate to the number of non-Executive members of Parliament (any MP that is not a minister, associate minister, or under-secretary), the term would remain at three years.
Each time a new government was elected it would decide whether to keep a 3-year term or have a 4-year term with the select committee changes.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith made the announcement on Thursday, saying "as stipulated in the National-Act coalition agreement, the Bill is modelled on the ACT Party's draft Constitution (Enabling a 4-Year Term) Amendment Bill."
"What that does is effectively say that a Parliament or Government can have a four year term, but in order to do that it has to arrange the select committees in a different way which makes it stronger for the opposition to hold the Government to account," he said.
It would mean three years remained the standard term of Parliament, but each time a new government was elected it would decide whether to next hold an election in another three or four years time.
"Given the constitutional significance of the term of Parliament, this change would be subject to the outcome of a binding referendum," Goldsmith said.
"The main condition is that membership of certain select committees is calculated in a way that is proportionate to the non-Executive parliamentary party membership of the House."
National and New Zealand First's support is only guaranteed through to select committee, where changes could still be made, including a referendum at next year's election on a straight three or four year term.
File photo. Official opening of Parliament. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
"Both the National-Act and National-New Zealand First coalition agreements include supporting the Bill to select committee. At this stage, no decisions have been made on whether the Bill will proceed beyond this," Goldsmith said.
"It is possible a referendum could be held alongside the next General Election in 2026. However, any final decisions on timing for a referendum will depend on what comes out of the select committee process.
"Future decisions will also need to be made by the Government as to whether the bill proceeds as introduced, or whether it should be amended."
Arguments for a four year term were that it gave the Government the opportunity "to develop and progress an agenda" and would mean less "chopping and changing", he said.
Over the years people had raised the issue of challenges in terms of the change of direction when a new government came in, he said.
One of the main arguments against it was that New Zealand did not have an upper house or a "Supreme Court that strikes down legislation" and so a more regular election was justified on that basis, he said.
Goldsmith said both were valid arguments and the government wanted to hear from New Zealanders what they thought during the select committee process.
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said he was in favour of four-year terms as it would allow large projects to be more effectively put in place, and allow them to give more time to the decision making process.
"Given the shortness of our parliamentary term, we are very quick to make decisions.
"I think a four-year term would actually allow the government of the day to slow down a bit, and make sure they're doing things properly rather than them doing them in a hurry so that they've got something to show at the next election," he said.
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