Tempers flare in Parliament as families' package debate drags out

Tempers boiled over at Parliament during debate on legislation that will replace the previous Government's planned tax cuts – with one MP booted from the debating chamber, and another being told to "take his pills".

The Government is using urgency to push through legislation that will introduce its families' package, which will be introduced instead of planned tax cuts introduced under National.

National MPs are taking most of the speaking slots in an attempt to drag out the debate and to show they won't give up their tax package without a fight.

It's a tactic that will see debate go into tonight and could force MPs to change travel plans and give up their Saturday to return to Parliament tomorrow.

Act leader David Seymour was kicked out of the House, and tempers boiled over at one point, with National MP and whip Jami-Lee Ross yelling at the Chair, Adrian Rurawhe.

That came after Rurawhe warned that he was losing patience with the frequent points-of-order being raised by National MPs, saying it appeared they were being used to stop a vote on the legislation taking place.

When National MPs persisted, Rurawhe cut them off. That caused Ross to yell out in protest, telling the Labour MP that he was being "grossly disorderly and disrespectful".

One of Ross' objections was the session had gone past 1pm, and as such it was time for lunch.

When Seymour then got in on the action, telling the Chair that he had lost control.

"If you're not going to allow me to speak when I have substantive things to say … then there is no point in being here, and if you're going to expel members for relitigating the point of order we might as go anyway."

Seymour was then ordered from the debating chamber.

National's Louise Upston then asked for Speaker Trevor Mallard to be recalled. Mallard told Ross he had watched his exchanges on television, and backed Rurawhe's ruling.

Earlier, National's finance spokesman Steven Joyce responded to an interjection by Labour MP Andrew Little by suggesting he "start by taking his pills".

National will put up amendments including allowing parents to receive tax credits for an extra month following a death of their child, and keeping some tax cuts for low-income earners.

The families' package changes are expected to benefit 384,000 families with children by an average of $75 a week. A further 650,000 families without children are expected to benefit by an average of $14 a week through the increases in Accommodation Supplement and a new Winter Energy Payment.

The package is expected to cost $5.3 billion over four years and would be paid for by cancelling National's tax cuts -a step that will free up $8.4b overall.

Labour has ruled out means testing elements of the package such as the winter energy payment, saying it had wanted to make it as simple to administer as possible.

It kept National's proposed Accommodation Supplement changes but offered more generous support in Working for Families and the new baby payments and winter heating subsidies as its trade-off for cancelling the tax cuts.

What the families' package will mean for you

PEOPLE WITH BABIES:

• Available for babies born on or after July 1, 2018.

• The Best Start payment of $60 a week for those not on paid parental leave until the baby turns one.

• Low- and middle-income earners get it until baby turns 3 - it abates over $79,000 income.

• Also available to foster parents and the carers of orphans and unsupported children.

• About 65,000 newborns a year will qualify.

LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS ON ACCOMMODATION SUPPLEMENT:

• Significant increases to Accommodation Supplement, especially for those living in areas such as cities with high cost of living. Changes take effect April 2018.

SUPERANNUITANTS and BENEFICIARIES:

• A Winter Energy Payment of $450 a year for singles and $700 for couples.

• Paid to superannuitants fortnightly and beneficiaries weekly from May to September.

• Expected to benefit about one million people, including 710,000 superannuitants.
• It is auto-enrolment - people can opt out.

• Does not need to be spent on heating.

• Begins July 2018.

SINGLES AND THOSE WITHOUT CHILDREN:

• Independent Earners' Tax Credit of up to $10 a week will be retained for low-income earners on $24,000 to $48,000 a year.