The Left continues to have luck with the private member’s bill ballot, getting both of the bills drawn today just like a couple of weeks back (well, not so much luck, most of the bills in the ballot are from the Left).
Metiria Turei’s Marine Animals Protection Law Reform Bill was drawn, which while worthy wouldn’t be my top environmental priority if I were putting in a bill with a 10% chance of being drawn. Still, it will be tough for the Right to reflexively vote it down. So it might just get to select committee.
The other Bill is Phil Twyford’s Local Government (Protection of Auckland Assets) Amendment Bill. Quoting NRT, “[it] amends the Local Government Act 2002 to forbid any Auckland local authority (including the Auckland Transitional Authority) from selling or otherwise disposing of scheduled Auckland local body assets such as Watercare, ARTA and Ports of Auckland.” Twyford explains in more on Red Alert.
The idea is to stop the Banks-led cabal of businessmen that National and ACT are trying to gerrymander into power from selling Aucklander’s public assets. It will also set the scene for asset sales to be a major issue at the super-council election next year.
Since it will obviously be voted down by the Right, it won’t achieve the first aim but it should do the second.
I would have liked to see a private member’s bill specifically for a referendum before any Supercity is created. I assume both the Greens and Labour will try to insert it in the bill currently before select committee and maybe Twyford will include it in his bill (I acknowledge National might just use the financial veto on it even though it would only cost a couple of million).
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