Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill
Second Reading
Advance Copy - Subject to minor change before inclusion in Bound Volume.
NATHAN GUY (National) : National supports the Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill at its second reading this evening. It is important legislation. It is good that we had a very good look at this legislation in the Standing Orders Committee. In the past we did not realise that we had no law that members may be paid over the approximately 2-week period—and that can vary—between polling day and declaration day. So this bill will tidy up that anomaly in order to allow members to be paid over that 2-week period. The examples I would like to raise for the House this evening are those whereby a member will be required by his or her caucus to fly to Wellington after polling day, presuming that that member will be declared a member of Parliament. Therefore, some accommodation contribution will need to be paid by Parliamentary Service.
The other important point to make to the House and to those listening is that current sitting MPs have leases on their offices and also phone-rental expenses. That was an important aspect that the select committee looked at, in order to ensure that those two very important components were funded over that 2-week period, on average.
We received no submissions when this legislation went out into the public arena, but I need to acknowledge the good work of the Standing Orders Committee. I also endorse the comments that Dr Cullen made about the general manager making those decisions, and I think it is important that the Chief Electoral Officer can declare those results as quickly as possible on the night of, or certainly on the Sunday after, election day. We are looking forward to the contributions at the Committee stage of this bill as it traverses through the House.
Bill read a second time.