Euthanasia debate looking unlikely as Parliament enters final stretch

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in front of the speaker of the house Lockwood Smith, addresses politicians in the Debating Chamber, Parliament, Wellington, New Zealand, Wednesday, February 16

As Parliament enters its final stretch before the election, it is looking increasingly unlikely that a debate will be held on legalising euthanasia in New Zealand.

There are now four weeks remaining on Parliament's calendar, and National is hoping to pass four law changes before it finishes up on August 17.

And while there are two days set aside to debate private member's bills, Leader of the House Simon Bridges said today that the chances of a first reading for Act leader David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill were getting slimmer by the day.

It is now all but certain that another high-profile member's bill in the name of Green MP Julie-Anne Genter, which would legalise medical cannabis, will also be put off until the next Parliamentary term.

Bridges said that there was only one debate which had to be completed by law - the Estimates Debate, which lays out the Government's spending for the financial year. That will take about 11 hours of Parliament's remaining time.

There are 16 MPs leaving Parliament at the election, and it will take around seven hours for all of them to give their valedictory speeches.

Former Prime Minister John Key and former Labour leader David Cunliffe have already given their farewell speeches, after they left Parliament six months early in an arrangement which allowed National's majority to remain unchanged.

Bridges said the final pieces of legislation to be passed reflected National's top priorities and the issues it campaigned on at the last election.

They included a law change to crack down on money laundering and another bill to introduce criminal penalties for cartel behaviour.

The Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 2) will also be passed, and will bring about a range of changes in the transport sector including the introduction of alcohol interlock decides for recidivist drunk drivers. It also addresses the rise of ride-sharing companies like Uber and makes it easier for them to get the required background and compliance checks.

Parliament will pass legislation which improves the way that Government agencies share information. It is partly a response to the case of Phillip Smith, a convicted killer who used a different name to evade authorities while on temporary release from jail and fled to Brazil.

A controversial bill which gives the Local Government Commission to power to go over councils' heads and force them to integrate services is also likely to be passed into law.

Parliament will also go into extended hours on the remaining Thursdays to pass a number of Treaty settlement bills.

The general election is on September 23, and early voting begins on September 11.

Government's final acts:

-Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill
-Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill
-Enhancing Identity Verification and Border Processes Legislation Bill
-Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 2)
-Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 2)