Introduced on Nov 2013. Allows guardians to control entities formed to hold, facilitate or manage investments. The bill completed its first reading on a voice vote on March 19 and was sent to the Finance and Expenditure Committee for consideration. Submissions closed on May 5. Reported back on July 30 with a number of minor amendments mainly around the control of Fund investment vehicles. Completed its second reading on May 7 and committee stage on June 30 with the Government making amendments to further remove ministerial oversight from the fund’s activities. Completed its third reading on October 20 with Bill English saying he did not believe there should be political interference in the Fund. English indicated there was on-going work by Treasury on the Superfund’s management of risk. Only the Greens were opposed to the bill.  New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Amendment Bill

Introduced on Oct 15 an omnibus Bill to modernise and simplify superannuation and the veteran’s pension by shifting toward an assessment of entitlement on an individual basis. Also allows a single person living alone in a self-contained mobile home to super or veteran’s pension. First reading on Oct 17 with all parties in support and referred to the Social Services and Community Committee. Reported back on March 24 with minor amendments. Second reading on June 24 and committee stage on June 30 with all parties in support. Third reading completed under Urgency on July 21 with all parties in support.  New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill

Introduced under Urgency on May 30 and passed through all stages supported by all parties. The Bill validates the historical and future collection of fees under the Companies Act 1993 to fund the NZBN register.  New Zealand Business Number Funding (Validation and Authorisation) Bill

Introduced April 30. The will protect the use of the name “Ombudsman” by restricting its use to persons appointed under the Ombudsman Act 1975 and follows inconclusive legal proceedingsby the Office of the Ombudsman to prevent a commercial company using the term ombudsman. First reading on May 8 and referred to the Governance and Administration Committee with a report due by Nov 8. Opposed by National and ACT who said it was a waste of time of the House. Reported back on Oct 30. Second reading on Dec 17 with National and ACT still opposed. Committee stage completed on Feb 12. Third reading completed on March 4 with National and ACT still mocking it. Ombudsmen (Protection of Name) Amendment Bill

Bill drawn from the ballot on Feb 22 in the name of Barbara Kuriger The purpose of this bill is to give Youth Court Judges the ability to impose conditions in relation to the activities of parents or guardians when their child is in the jurisdiction of the Court. Oranga Tamariki (Parent’s and Guardian’s Responsibility) Amendment Bill

Introduced on Nov 25. The bill partially repeals the regulations laying out the how the agency treats a “subsequent child” when parents or carers come to its attention. It also repeals a redundant information sharing provision and amends technical errors and ambiguities. First reading on Dec 14. Opposed only by National who argued parents who have harmed a child should be expected to prove that their subsequent child is safe and the changes would put the parents ahead of the subsequent child’s wellbeing. Referred to the social services and community committee. Report back on June 13 with a number of changes. Second reading on July 27 with all parties strongly opposed except for Labour. The major focus for opposition was changes to the oversight provisions and administration of complaints. Committee stage completed on Aug 11. Third reading completed on Aug 23 with no changes in parties positions.

Oranga Tamariki Amendment Bill

Introduced Feb 27, 2020. The Bill proposes a regime to regulate organic claims and the businesses that make them. First reading on March 19, supported by all parties and sent to the Primary Production Committee. Reported back on March 1, 2021. The committee recommend changing the title of the bill to “Organic Products and Production Bill”. The committee also expressed concern about the compliance costs in the regime and urged ministers to take care in the design and application of the regulations. Second reading completed on Oct 27 2022 with Act opposed. Remaining stages completed on March 30 with Act opposed.
 Organic Products Bill

Intended to bring NZ into line with international conventions. This includes requiring banks and other financial institutions to report all international wire transfers over $1000 and all physical cash transactions of $10,000 or more to the Financial Intelligence Unit within police. Given its first reading on November 4 and widely supported. Submissions closed on Feb 5 2015. The bill was reported back on May 4 with a number of amendments to the reporting regime for international transactions intended to make it less bureaucratic. Other amendments include allowing for bribes overseas to be punished by fines as well as imprisonment. It also makes clear money laundering in a foreign jurisdiction where it is not illegal is still an offence in NZ. Completed second reading on May 27 with all parties in favour though the Greens and others are pushing for bribes to cover low value “grease” payments which are currently excluded. Committee stage completed on October 21 with a Green amendment to make illegal small “facilitation” payments made in other countries by NZers voted down by National, ACT and United Future. The Government said it was happy with the “narrow” exceptions which were in line with Australian and United States law. Completed third reading divided into 15 bills on Nov 4 by 109 to 12 with NZ First opposed.  Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill

Bill in the name of Labour Leader Andrew Little, introduced on May 26. It will require the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment to amend the Government Procurement Rules and Principles of Government Procurement to make job creation and the overall benefit to New Zealand a determining factor in their decision making. Voted down by National, ACT and United Future at first reading debate on November 30.  Our Work Our Future Bill

Introduced on Sept 19. The Bill establishes a regulatory regime to govern space launches, including both launch vehicles and payloads (eg, satellites), from New Zealand and by New Zealand nationals operating overseas. It also provides a legal framework for high-altitude activities that originate from New Zealand. First reading completed on October 18 with all parties in support though a few questions were asked around treaty obligations on the protection of intellectual property. All parties were enthused about the idea of a NZ based satellite launch industry. Sent to the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee for consideration Reported back on April 21 with a number amendments mostly of a technical nature agreed to unanimously. Amongst these were tightening of ministerial regulation powers and more clarification about the ban on recording launch debris. Second reading debate interrupted on June 1 and completed on June 20 with all parties in support. Committee stage completed on June 22. Completed third reading on July 4 with all parties maintaining support. Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Bill