Parliament pushes 18 urgent bills through final week before election

In the penultimate week of the 54th Parliament, the Government is accelerating its legislative agenda by moving 18 bills into urgency, a process that will run from Tuesday afternoon until midnight on Saturday. Leader of the House Louise Upston will seek the House’s agreement after the first reading of the annual Taxation Rates Bill, which is the sole bill not placed under urgency. The urgent docket covers the India Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill, Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill, Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill, three Treaty of Waitangi reference bills, Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Bill, Public Works Amendment Bill, Healthy Futures (3-day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill, Policing Amendment Bill, Corrections (Management of Prisoners and Prisoner Property) Amendment Bill and several others.

Debates are expected to be intense on the trade, youth-offending and Treaty bills, while later items are seen as less contentious. Valedictory statements from departing MPs Celia Wade-Brown, Andrew Bayly and Maureen Pugh are also scheduled.