Introduced on July 1 the bill will give ministers  the authority to transfer Housing NZ Corporation properties and act on the behalf of the corporation or any of its subsidiaries. Received its first reading on August 18 and sent to the Social Services Committee. Strongly opposed by Opposition Parties on grounds of “privatisation” and exemptions for housing sales from the Public Works Act and other “offer back” provisions. Report due by February 18. Reported back on December 14 with minor amendments. Strongly opposed by Labour, the Greens and NZ First saying it gave ministers “extraordinary and unprecedented powers to directly negotiate the terms of the disposal of publicly owned assets”. Second reading completed on February 16 and remaining stages on February 18. Still opposed by Labour, the Greens and NZ First. Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill

Introduced on Nov 22 under urgency and passed through all stages with all parties in favour. The bill clarifies eligibility for, and the rate of, an accommodation supplement for a community spouse or partner who is not receiving long-term residential care in a hospital or rest home and whose spouse or partner is receiving long-term residential care.

Social Security (Accommodation Supplement) Amendment Bill

Introduced on May 26, the bill ensures a payment received by a person under the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment Programme is treated as the person’s income for the purposes of the Social Security Act. Passed under Urgency through all stages. National and ACT opposed as they argued the income relief payment created a two tier welfare system. Social Security (COVID-19 Income Relief Payment to be Income) Amendment Bill

Introduced on March 4. The Bill corrects drafting errors and retrospectively validates payments to some beneficiaries last year and ensures they are eligible this year. First reading on March 7 and referred to the Social Services and Community Committee, to be reported by April 1. National opposed to the short process. Reported back on March 27 with second reading on April 4, committee stage April 9 and third reading April 10. National and ACT voted against throughout. Social Security (Winter Energy Payment) Amendment Bill

Introduced on April 13, the bill delays the repeal of an alternative ‘experience’ pathway to registration for a further 4 years to Feb 2028. First reading on May 9 and referred to the social services and community committee with National and Act opposed. Reported back on Aug 16 with Act opposing and National supporting just a 2 year extension. Second reading on Feb 1 with all parties in support and National indicating the bill would be amended in committee stage with a move to 2 years. That amendment and others were completed in the committee stage on Feb 15 and the bill completed its third reading on Feb 20 with all parties in favour.

Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill

Introduced on Nov 15. The bill provides for the development and implementation of long-term, strategic spatial planning through the development of regional spatial strategies to replace the current plans with a smaller number of consolidated plans. First reading on Nov 22 with National, Act and Te Paati Maori opposed and sent to the environment committee. Reported back on June 27 with many changes but the initial intent of the bill intact. National, Act and Green party all filing minority reports. National pledged to repeal the RMA reform bills before Christmas if elected to govt saying the replacement would be worse than the original. Second reading completed on July 18 with Labour, Greens and Kerekere in favour. Committee stage completed on Aug 2. Third reading completed on Aug 15 with Labour, Greens and Kerekere in favour.

Spatial Planning Bill

Introduced on March 7. Private bill in the name of Grant Robertson which enables the St Peter’s (Wellington) Endowment Fund Trust Board to make distributions that are not restricted to the income earned in the preceding year, limits the liability of Trust board members, and enables updating of governance arrangements. First reading on March 15 with all parties in favour and referred to the Governance and Administration Committee. Reported back on Aug 2 and completed all stages on Aug 30 with all parties in favour. 

St Peter’s Parish Endowment Fund Trust Bill 

Introduced July 22 2014. Amends and consolidates the law relating to standards and accreditation of conformity assessment bodies, and repeals and replaces the Standards Act 1988 and the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972. Establishes a new independent statutory board to approve New Zealand Standards and new arrangements for Standards development and approval, and minor amendments to the institutional arrangements for the Testing Laboratory Registration Council. A new independent statutory officer will be set up within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to oversee the development of Standards. The bill also amends the Copyright Act to preserve existing intellectual property in Standards. Received its first reading on Nov 4 with general support, though some expressed concern about the independent nature of standards setting being compromised with work being done by MoBIE. Submissions due before the Commerce Committee by January 15, 2015. Reported back with amendments on March 31 with amendments. Labour and others have concerns the independence of the standards setting process may be compromised by the reorganisation and the links with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Completed second reading on May 19 with just National, ACT and United Future in favour.  Committee stage of the bill completed on June 30 with some amendments, but no movement on support. Third reading completed on October 15 with just National, ACT and United Future supporting with no change in positions. Standards and Accreditation Bill

Introduced on Feb 12 with a first reading on Feb 20 with the agreement of all parties and was sent to the Governance and Administration Committee. The main thrust of the Bill is to bring wider Crown entities and agencies into the same governance oversight regime for departments by the State Service Commissioner. Reported back on August 20 with a few changes including the need for the Commissioner to state why the request of a board has been rejected and checks on powers of investigation. Committee stage competed on Sept 12 and third reading on Sept 13 with all parties in agreement.State Sector and Crown Entities Reform Bill

A bill in the name of Green MP Gareth Hughes drawn from the ballot on December 1. The bill will allow those with student loans to divert or delay compulsory student loan repayments, or a nominated percentage of the repayments, to a first home deposit saving scheme. First reading debate completed on March 23 with the Bill voted down by National, NZ First, ACT and United Future.  Student Loan Scheme (First Home Repayment Diversion) Amendment Bill