Electoral Law proposed changes due soon

Newsroom reports that Labour will introduce changes to the Electoral Act next week. It is appalling that they continue to negotiate in secret changes to one of our most important constitutional acts.

I suspect that their changes will be primarily designed to silence critics of the Government in election year. It may be the most draconian attack on free speech we have seen. Otherwise why else would they have not consulted all parties on the changes, or released a policy paper before introducing law changes.

Also this bill was due in the House months ago. Because they have kept delaying it until they have the numbers stitched up in secret, its timing is now going to be an issue. Normally a bill has six months with a select committee to allow for full submissions and consideration. So a bill introduced in July might have first reading in August, report back in February, and get passed into law in March or April.

But this will break the convention of no changes to the Electoral Act in election years. So Labour will have to either break the convention or ram the changes through Parliament under a shortened timeframe. Both are highly undesirable.

Insolent Prick blogs on why the Government is so keen to silence its critics in election year.  It’s all about  stopping forest owners from complaining about the  nationalisation of their carbon credits.