National should do members’ bill on Kermadecs

Claire Trevett writes:

One of the National Party’s moves in Opposition could be to lodge a members’ bill for the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary – which, if drawn, could see it pass into law if the Green Party also backed it or even abstained.

The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary has been one of the issues in negotiations between Labour, NZ First and the Greens after National put it on ice to try to resolve objections and a legal challenge by Te Ohu Kaimoana, the Maori Fisheries Commission.

National now has a chance to drive a wedge in the Opposition and if NZ First stymies progress on the sanctuary, there is already talk within National about putting in a members’ bill which, if drawn, could result in the sanctuary passing into law without Labour if the Greens support it.

This is a no brainer for National. A members’ bill will expose how much of a hold NZ First and its corporate interests have on Labour, and also force the Greens to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.