By Louis Collins
The tino rangatiratanga haki (flag) outside Parliament on the day of the Treaty Principles Bill introduction. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews
The second week of Parliament's penultimate sitting block for the year is proving to be an intense and busy one.
Public attention is largely focused on two highly anticipated events: The Crown Apology to survivors of Abuse in State Care which happened on Tuesday, and the first reading of the highly controversial Treaty Principles Bill, on Thursday.
The Crown apology
Occasionally, governments feel compelled to offer official apologies for past grievances. Parliament actually oversees Crown apologies semi-frequently when they are included within Treaty settlement legislation.
Every so often though, the government offers an oral apology, with a minister of the Crown, typically the prime minister, standing up in the House and giving a speech. These speeches tend to consist of an outline of what happened, An admission that the State messed up big time, and crucially, what the current administration plans on doing to right the wrongs. Sometimes, the leader of the opposition, or other party leaders will speak to the apology too.
Some previous examples of Crown apologies include the dawn raids apology, the Christchurch mosque attacks, and an apology to Vietnam war veterans.
At 11.30am on Tuesday, Parliament met earlier than usual for the Crown Apology to Survivors of Abuse in State Care, with a 25 minute speech from the prime minister, followed by the leader of the opposition, who was allocated 15 minutes.
In any context, saying sorry without following up with remediating actions is generally perceived as pretty disingenuous. This is something governments certainly like to avoid, especially under close public attention. Hence, Crown apologies are pretty much always followed up with reconciliation initiatives, like programme funding, compensation payments, and as we saw on Tuesday afternoon, legislation.
Following the apology, the House came back to the chamber at 2pm, where instead of Question Time, MPs debated the first reading of the Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Bill. After the 12 speeches, the debate wrapped up, and the House adjourned early for the day, making the apology the sole item of business at Parliament on Tuesday.
More extended sitting
Wednesday will see the resumption of a normal sitting day with Question Time, a General Debate, and government business through until 10pm.
To make up for lost time, and because Parliament tends to pack in as much as it can at the end of the year, there is another extended sitting on Thursday morning from 9am (instead of the normal 2pm Question Time start).
The focus is largely on second and third readings. The former is when the House gets a chance to see and discuss what the select committee thinks, having examined a bill.
The latter is a chance for members to offer their final thoughts on what is nearly legislation, following a bill's details being worked through in the committee stage.
Second readings this week
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) seeks to regulate the sale of vaping products, including banning disposable vapes, which are especially popular with young people.
A number of renting regulation changes are being proposed in the Residential Tenancy Amendment Bill, including the reintroduction of 90-day tenancy termination (without having to give a reason).
The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill proposes an extension of protected areas and marine reserves as a legislative response to the degrading environmental conditions of the Hauraki Gulf.
The Therapeutic Products Act Repeal Bill scraps a law passed by the previous government last year to regulate medicines and medical devices.
The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill is essentially a legislative effort to align New Zealand's fishing industry with international obligations and agreements, as part of the multinational effort to protect fisheries and keep the practice sustainable, and environmentally friendly.
Third readings this week
The Victims of Family Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill will give courts increased powers to prevent and respond to litigation abuse (threats, insults, legal manipulation) during family proceedings.
The Contracts of Insurance Bill is uncontroversial, and replaces old legislation (some more than 100 years old). It aims to strike a fair legal balance between insurers and policy holders.
Conversely, The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Bill is pretty controversial. If passed, it would keep agriculture exempt from New Zealand's Emission Trading Scheme (agricultural processors were due to be included from 1 January).
Following amendments at select committee, all parties now support the Building (Earthquake-prone Building Deadlines and Other Matters) Amendment Bill which extends the deadline on remediation efforts for earthquake prone buildings. The bill will only have its third reading this week if the committee stage is completed in time.
Looking down the Order Paper for the week, you'll see a lone 1R among the many 2R and 3R. That sole first reading is the highly anticipated, and highly contentious Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.
The bill seeks to "set out the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in legislation and to require, where relevant, that those principles must be used when interpreting legislation."
Public interest in the Bill is especially high, and despite being introduced last week, Thursday's first reading will be the first chance the public gets to hear what MPs have to say about it.
RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, its legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk.
