Members Day And Holiday Issues

Wednesday, 20 February 2013, 10:47 am
Article: ParliamentToday.co.nz

Today is Members Day in Parliament, however Private Bills will take up some of the time available - though MPs might get to vote on whether we have more holidays.

After Question Time and the General Debate, the first item on the Order Paper is the third reading of the Waitaki District Council Reserves and Other Land Empowering Bill.

This will be followed by the committee stage of the South Taranaki District Council (Cold Creek Rural Water Supply) Bill and the first reading of the Tasman District Council (Validation and Recovery of Certain Rates) Bill.

The first member’s bill is the second reading of the Habeas Corpus Amendment Bill.

If time allows the more contentious Holidays (Full Recognition of Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day) will be up for its second reading.

National opposed this bill, but opposition parties managed to get the bill to select committee with the support of Peter Dunne and the Maori Party.

If they manage to retain this support, when Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day fall on the weekend Monday will be a public holiday.

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