Member’s Day

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, July 25th, 2012 - 19 comments
Categories: child welfare, labour, Parliament - Tags: ,

There are 2 great bills coming before parliament today.  Both the Government is opposing, but Labour have the numbers – barring a last minute tangi.

The first I have a familial bias towards – it’s my brother’s Mondayising Holiday Bill.

Quite why the government oppose such a popular measure I’m not sure.  John Key’s not sure either – he doesn’t know his party’s position on it.  But then he doesn’t know the cost of the major policy he announced at the weekend, so I guess why would he know such trivial things as whether he supports Bills that are coming before the House?

Judith Collins is less shy about defying public opinion, and indeed logic:

“Frankly to reduce it into a three day weekend is, I think, very disrespectful to the people whose lives have been lost.

“If people need to have a holiday to go and actually turn up at Dawn parade then there’s something wrong.”

All those disrespectful Australians with their Mondayised Anzac Day…

The other Bill is Sue Moroney’s Paid Parental Leave Bill.

Paid Parental Leave is excellent for parent-child attachment and bonding.  It provides space at a time of financial stress and when parents need to be focussing on a baby, learning all the new skills of parenting.  In general it will improve that child’s chances in life having that parental attention, bonding and support for 6 months.

National and Act oppose it.

But, once again, it should have the numbers.  Bill English intends to make history on its third reading, when he gets to use the Governmental veto – for the first time ever on a full bill rather than an amendment or minor section.

But lets hope public support, the select committee process and some political pressure can change his mind in the meantime.

19 comments on “Member’s Day ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    25 July 2012 at 10:27 am

    Your brother should have written the bill as Friday-ising the holidays, not Monday-ising them.

    That in itself would set them apart and give them a special character.

    There are also many people, particularly in retail, that work Tuesday-Saturday, so when holidays are Mondayised they miss out. For people who work M-F there is no substantive difference.

  2. Pete George 2
    25 July 2012 at 12:09 pm

    Not mentioned in the post is the fact that Peter Dunne has committed to supporting both these Labour Member’s bills with a vital vote.

    Dunne includes a barb with his votes:

    What perplexes me is that Labour seems happy to accept my vote being the one that tips their Bills over the line tomorrow, while only a few weeks they were railing in the most disgusting terms against the fact that the Mixed Ownership Model Bill was also passed 61-60 on the basis of my vote.

    In both cases, my vote was based on long standing UnitedFuture policy positions. I have been entirely consistent. But on the face of it, Labour’s position seems not only remarkable inconsistent, but also extremely self-serving.

    And ironically David Clark was one of those railing against Dunne.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      25 July 2012 at 12:17 pm

      Because in one case Dunne is doing something good for the country, and in the other he is doing something bad for the country.

      Pretty easy. The fact that he’s following UF’s policy platform doesn’t change the impact of the bills he’s voting for.

      • David H 2.1.1
        25 July 2012 at 10:55 pm

        Not only that he knows that English has said he will use his Veto so it’s not such a big thing after all.

    • McFlock 2.2
      25 July 2012 at 12:35 pm

      lol
      When it’s good for the nation he provides his “vital vote”.
      When it’s bad for the nation he’s not responsible for it passing be the same margin as the above. 

    • Deano 2.3
      25 July 2012 at 12:35 pm

      Maybe Dunne should just vote for policies based on whether he thinks they’re the right thing for the country or not.

      The idea that he would deny parents longer parental leave and deny New Zealanders’ public holidays just because Labour gave him shit for supportin asset sales is frankly outrageous.

      Who does this arsehole think he is, threatening to make everyone pay unless his political opponents kiss his ring?

    • David H 2.4
      25 July 2012 at 6:20 pm

      Because Dunny will have to support these bills until he is booted out, for his traitor ism over asset sales!!

  3. Draco T Bastard 3
    25 July 2012 at 12:17 pm

    Quite why the government oppose such a popular measure I’m not sure.

    It cuts into employers ability to screw even more out workers and thus negatively affects profits.

    Bill English intends to make history on its third reading, when he gets to use the Governmental veto

    Which, I think, will spell the end of this government. Pity that NZ will be left voting against a failed government rather than voting for a new one – again.

    • Pete George 3.1
      25 July 2012 at 12:31 pm

      It will be interesting to see if English goes ahead with a veto or he gets overridden by his caucus. A veto would be cynical and arrogant, and would be deservedly be highly unpopular.

  4. gobsmacked 4
    25 July 2012 at 12:38 pm

    Of course these are good bills. Well done to both MPs.

    The word “Mondayise”, on the other hand, should be deathised.

    • felix 4.1
      25 July 2012 at 1:17 pm

      +1

      Gives too much room for dishonest rightwing fuckwits to pretend they don’t understand it.

      (see: Collins, above)

      • Lanthanide 4.1.1
        25 July 2012 at 4:35 pm

        I’m not convinced she’s pretending.

        • felix 4.1.1.1
          25 July 2012 at 4:50 pm

          Good point, it can be hard to tell. Ditto John Key in the house today.

          Sheesh, it’s like it’s never been explained to them, but it has, many times.

  5. gobsmacked 5
    25 July 2012 at 10:23 pm

    So both bills have passed their first reading.

    Congrats to the Labour MPs who introduced them, and thanks to all those who voted in favour.

    National have been all smiles while they’ve been winning, but tonight we got a taste of what happens when they lose …

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10822214

    It is a preview of what is to come. The second-term Nats are going to keep on pushing their agenda, and if that means they lose more support, they will keep getting nastier. Their reactions say a lot about them. Labour and the Greens should not fall for the distractions and dirt – it’s only going to get worse.

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