Party hopping bill a joke
The Government’s party hopping bill is so full of loopholes that you could drive a busload of MPs through it, says National’s Justice spokesman Tony Ryall.
“The only good thing about the bill is that it won’t work if passed. National, ACT and The Greens all agree this bill should go no further.
“Any MP who jumped ship in the last five years could get around this bill with no trouble at all.
“The only excuse the Government has for introducing such a holey piece of legislation, is because they said they would. It is the worst example of window dressing we’ve seen from the Government so far.
“It’s so ridiculous that, under this bill an MP could verbally tell the Speaker they’d changed parties but unless it was in writing, they wouldn’t be in breach of the legislation.
“Labour talked big and tough on this issue for years, but the public which expected action from them will be sorely disappointed to see Labour’s pathetic excuse for action,” says Mr Ryall.
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