Labour to keep Winston’s waka jumping law

Stuff reports:

Labour will vote against a proposed repeal of the Waka Jumping law, killing off any chances of removing the controversial law.

The Waka Jumping or ‘party hopping’ law allows parliamentary parties to remove their own MPs from Parliament in some circumstances, meaning party leaders and caucuses have the power not just to expel MPs from their own party, but from Parliament itself.

It was passed with much controversy last term after NZ First won agreement for it in the party’s coalition agreement with Labour. The Green Party, who have long opposed such laws, swallowed the “dead rat” and voted for the law – as the party believed it was bound to honour Labour’s obligation to NZ First.

This is a terrible law which allows party leaders to expel MPs from Parliament who disagree with them. Bad enough that Labour agreed to it as the price of Winston’s support, but even more shameful they are keeping it on.