Urgency

I move, That urgency be accorded the first reading of the Appropriation (2024/25 Supplementary Estimates) Bill; the introduction and passing through all stages of the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill (No 2); the first reading and referral to a select committee of the Regulatory Standards Bill; the introduction, first reading, and referral to a select committee of the Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill; the introduction and passing through all stages of the Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Bill, the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill, the Invest New Zealand Bill, the Rates Rebate Amendment Bill, and the Patents Amendment Bill; the introduction, first reading, and referral to a select committee of the Public Finance Amendment Bill, the Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill, and the Legal Services (Distribution of Special Fund) Amendment Bill.

The Government is moving urgency in relation to all of these measures for a range of different reasons. In relation to the Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill, as indicated by the Minister of Finance in her speech today, there are changes being made to give effect to the Investment Boost scheme, which takes effect as of today, once the legislation is passed, and the KiwiSaver changes mentioned in the Minister of Finance’s speech. The Regulatory Standards Bill is being sent to a select committee for further consideration. The Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill gives effect to the Government’s commitments around granny flats and will go to a select committee for further consideration and is part of the growth agenda of the Government.

The two social assistance pieces of legislation give effect to savings committed to through Budget 2024. The Invest New Zealand Bill establishes Invest New Zealand, to take effect from 1 July and is, again, a key priority following the Budget. The Rates Rebate Amendment Bill gives effect to commitments made in the Budget around further assistance to low-income superannuitants with gold cards to get financial assistance. The Patents Amendment Bill is, again, a growth-enhancing initiative which makes a small change to the very out-of-date Patents Act 1953 to benefit—it, essentially, tweaks to benefit some companies that use that Act. The Public Finance Amendment Bill gives effect to commitments made by the Government, upon taking office, to change the Act to allow for greater transparency, and the two justice-related bills give effect to Budget savings. Both of those two bills are being sent to select committee.

There is a lot of business to get through, much of it—in fact, all of it—related to the Budget and the growth agenda. We’re looking forward to making progress on that.