Social service agencies want checks on Parliament urgency

In a submission to a Review of Standing Orders, the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS), which includes Catholic Social Services as a foundation member, acknowledged there were times when urgency is needed, such as cases of national emergency.

However, the current Government has passed 97 bills that involved some stages being completed under urgency, and 28 were passed into law without a select committee stage allowing public input.

Under Standing Orders, the Government must give a reason for urgency, but there is no requirement for assessment of that need or approval of its use, the NZCCSS pointed it.

The submission noted that excessive use of urgency is not limited to the any particular government.

“The current process in the Standing Orders places too much discretionary power in the hands of the Executive and jeopardises public trust in the legislative process by allowing legislation to be passed under urgency solely on the whim of the government of the day,” the submission stated.

“We strongly urge the Select Committee to recommend that the Standing Orders are updated to include additional checks and balances to ensure that governments aren’t abusing the urgency process in an attempt to evade public scrutiny. We support the need for the Leader of the House to provide justification but believe that, except in instances of national emergency, there needs to be an assessment of whether this reason is truly justifiable.”

The NZCCSS submission recommended the appointment of a cross-party panel or a non-partisan individual to approve the use of urgency.

FULL STORY

NZCCSS submission of Review of Standing Orders 2026 (NZCCSS/Parliament)