Te Pāti Māori calls for deadline extension for Treaty Principles Bill submissions and Canada's Liberal Party in need of new leader following Justin Trudeau's resignation.
The Labour Party is calling for an extension to the Treaty Principles Bill submission deadline.
The Labour Party is calling for an extension to the deadline for online submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill, in light of reports of people encountering error messages on the website on its final day.
RNZ heard from people trying to submit on Monday night and Tuesday who had faced problems with the portal amid unprecedented numbers.
The deadline for New Zealanders to have their say through online public submissions was 11.59pm on Tuesday, January 7.
However, the deadline for hard copies received through the post or delivered to Parliament was 5pm on Wednesday.
The legislation – which proposes to rewrite the Treaty principles as they are defined by the courts – has attracted widespread opposition and criticism, and tens of thousands of people marched against it when it passed its first reading in Parliament at the end of last year.
'This is the most substantial kaupapa that we’ve had to deal with,' says Labour’s spokesman for Māori development, Willie Jackson. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Labour’s spokesman for Māori development, Willie Jackson, had been at the funeral of Tariana Turia on Tuesday, and he said even there he had heard reports of people encountering problems with the portal.
He said there had been a massive push in the final hour to get people to submit their views.
“This is the most substantial kaupapa that we’ve had to deal with – the most anti-Māori kaupapa we’ve had to deal with – in the last generation, since Foreshore and Seabed.”
Advice from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, David Wilson, was for submitters encountering problems to wait a few minutes and try again.
But Jackson said it could be enough to deter people, and an extension of a week to the deadline would be fair.
“All New Zealanders, not just Māori [...] should be given the opportunity to submit.”
Speaking to RNZ on Tuesday, legal expert Andrew Geddis said Parliament’s IT systems should be set up to meet the needs of the people, rather than asking people to change their behaviour.
He said perhaps more investment was needed to ensure the system held up under pressure.
The decision to extend the deadline now sits with the Justice Select Committee.
The chair of the committee has been approached for comment.
