Chris Hipkins
MP for Rimutaka
Chief Whip
Shadow Leader of the House

MEDIA STATEMENT

25 August 2016

Backbencher Matt’s Bill is a Doocey

The latest National Member’s Bill pulled from the ballot is yet another waste of Parliament’s time and shows the Government’s contempt for the House and the public with much more important issues needing debate, says Labour’s Shadow Leader of the House and Chief Whip Chris Hipkins.

“National is stacking the Member’s Ballot with inconsequential bills that could easily be put into a Statutes Amendment Bill and be passed with the full support of Parliament. They are doing this to prevent the Opposition from getting other bills drawn.

“All Matt Doocey’s Bill does is give companies the right to ask shareholders by email rather than letter if they want a hard copy of the annual report.

“While that’s a perfectly valid change it could be passed in a Statue Amendment Bill which is the usual process for such matters.

“Doocey’s Bill hardly compares with other bills in the ballot such as Andrew Little’s Social Security (Apprenticeship Assistance for Youth) Amendment Bill or Jacinda Ardern’s Child Poverty Reduction and Eradication Bill.

“This shows the National backbench has no new ideas of its own and the MPs are just lackeys of Steven Joyce and the whips.

“These time-waster bills should be packaged into a Statute Amendment Bill and they will be likely passed quickly by Parliament. Then we could all get on with important matters,” says Chris Hipkins.

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