Parliament Bill Passes First Reading, Sets Stage for Modernizing Legislative Framework

"Today, Parliament has taken an important step towards modernizing the legislative framework that supports its operations," Bishop said.

Bipartisan support paves the way for consolidating key parliamentary Acts and enhancing governance.

The Parliament Bill has successfully passed its first reading in the House this afternoon, marking a significant step in modernizing New Zealand’s parliamentary legislation, House Leader Chris Bishop announced.

"Today, Parliament has taken an important step towards modernizing the legislative framework that supports its operations," Bishop said.

The proposed Parliament Bill seeks to consolidate and update four critical Acts that form the statutory framework of Parliament: the Clerk of the House of Representatives Act 1988, the Parliamentary Service Act 2000, the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013, and the Parliamentary Privilege Act 2014.

Key changes in the Bill include:

Clarifying the functions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, particularly in cases where the Deputy carries out the Speaker’s duties.

Modernizing the statutory responsibilities of the Clerk of the House of Representatives to better reflect current parliamentary needs.

Granting Parliamentary Security Officers statutory powers similar to those held by court security officers, to ensure safety within Parliament grounds.

Transferring to the Electoral Commission the authority to determine whether a petition has enough signatures to trigger a referendum, streamlining the process.

Chris Bishop expressed satisfaction with the unanimous support for the Bill across all parties, highlighting the importance of bipartisan collaboration when addressing parliamentary operations. "When dealing with matters regarding how Parliament is run, we want to ensure a bipartisan, constructive approach. I thank Members for their contributions to this Bill and to the first reading debate today."

In a move to ensure thorough consideration, a special select committee will be established to review the Bill, including representatives from every parliamentary party. The Government intends to nominate former Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe, to chair the committee.

The committee has been granted six months to review the Bill, and the Government aims to pass it into law by 2025.

The Parliament Bill is viewed as a crucial measure in strengthening the legislative infrastructure and enhancing the transparency and efficiency of Parliament’s operations. The modernized framework will align parliamentary functions with contemporary governance standards, ensuring a more streamlined and secure operation for the future.