Probation Period Bill passed

Parliament has passed the probation period bill by 63 votes to 51.That would suggest the Maori Party abstained.

I suspect in a couple of years people will wonder what all the fuss was about.

UPDATE: An MP helpfully advises me that the Maori Party did vote against. The reason for the low number of votes against is both the Greens and Maori Party were voting under strength. If more than 1/4 of a party’s MPs are absent from the Parliamentary precinct, then a vote can not be cast on their behalf by the Whips. This means the maximum number of MPs a party can have outside the precinct is 15 for National, 11 for Labour, 2 for Greens, and 1 for Maori and ACT.