Latest members' bill ballot results

In a democratic process unique to the New Zealand Parliament, three bills were drawn from a biscuit tin at the most recent members’ bill ballot.

Two bills with nearly identical content were submitted, prompting a preliminary ballot under Standing Order 289(2) to decide which one would be included in the main members’ bill ballot. This preliminary ballot took place before the main ballot process. Bill No 17 was selected to proceed from the preliminary ballot into the main ballot, while the other Bill No 20, was set aside.

The members’ bills drawn from the ballot were:

• Crimes (Offence of Failing to Report Child Harm) Amendment Bill in the name of Hon Andrew Bayly
• Building (Energy Efficient Office Buildings) Amendment Bill in the name of Hon Rachel Brooking
• Accident Compensation (Extended Cover for FENZ Personnel) Amendment Bill in the name of Hon Kieran McAnulty

What are members’ bills?

Most bills (proposed laws) considered by the House of Representatives are Government bills. However, MPs who are not Ministers can introduce their own bills, which are called members’ bills. Each member may have only one proposed bill in the ballot in their name at any one time.

The ballot is held to select one or more new member's bills to be introduced when fewer than eight members’ bills are on the Order Paper (the House’s agenda) as available for their first reading. The ballot simply involves drawing numbered tokens from a container, with one token drawn for each available bill to enter on the Order Paper.