Coalition Govt set to launch into agenda

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

After something of a “moving in” weekend, Parliament formally reopens today with the new Government preparing a hectic legislative programme for the rest of the year.

The new Cabinet spent last week in what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has described as intensive reading, while receiving briefings from senior public servants on their new responsibilities.

The first sitting of Parliament since the election starts tomorrow and a lot of the time will be devoted to new MPs making their maiden speeches, including the two from this district.

The first real clash will come the next day with question time — the prime chance for the Opposition to launch its first salvos against the new Government. Two of the heavyweights in that will be Labour’s Grant Robertson and Minister of Finance Nicola Willis, who have switched roles since October 14. These two have a long record of butting heads.

Look also for leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins to go on the attack against his successor Christopher Luxon, who was a back bencher only two years ago. Hipkins has always been a feisty debater and some cynics are suggesting that this is his natural role.

But question time will be something of a sideshow as the Government launches its 49-point, first-100 days programme that includes a raft of sweeping changes.

One of those, the removal of major amendments to smokefree laws that were expected to significantly reduce smoking harm, has already drawn heavy criticism. Luxon has responded that his Government is committed to lowering smoking rates but does not see the smokefree legislation as the best way to accomplish that.

There are only three weeks left in the sitting calendar, and much of the first week will be taken up with ceremonial and procedural processes, including maiden speeches.

National has a tight deadline to achieve its objectives before the House rises for the Christmas-New Year break. From next Monday, the House will go into urgency to push through some key Government policies.

These include changing the role of the Reserve Bank to a single mandate of fighting inflation (excising the dual mandate introduced in 2018 of also supporting maximum sustainable employment); and repealing the Fair Pay Agreements legislation, the Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Act, and the Clean Car Discount scheme.  It will also introduce a bill to extend 90-day trial periods to all businesses.

Undoing legislation is the easy part. There are some major battles ahead for the new Government to get its bold agenda in place.