Labour MPs hold up student union Bill

Labour MPs who have been striving for months to delay a Bill abolishing compulsory membership of student unions yesterday used time-wasting tactics that tested parliamentary discipline.

The Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill was drafted by Act MP Heather Roy and has Government backing.

She has the numbers to pass it, but because it is a member's Bill it can be debated only every second Wednesday Parliament sits, and Labour has succeeded in keeping it in its committee stage far beyond normal procedure.

They have done that mainly by holding up a Bill ahead of it on the order paper, but that tactic was thwarted yesterday when Ms Roy found a way to postpone debate on it and get her legislation on to the floor.

However, Labour MPs managed to waste about an hour by arguing points of procedure and Speaker Lockwood Smith, who does not control committee stage debates, was twice called into the House to sort out disputes.

Last night, Labour MPs were still obstructing debate, with complaints about the way the House was being managed and forcing debate on a series of amendments.

When Parliament adjourned at 10pm, the Bill was just short of completing its committee stage, which meant there was no assurance it would be passed before the election. With three members days left in the parliamentary year, it could be further delayed if other Bills are given preference on the order paper.

Otago University Students' Association president Logan Edgar said he had been given a verbal assurance from Dunedin National list MP Michael Woodhouse the party would support a move to leave the third reading of the Bill until after the election.

NZUSA president David Do said the voluntary student membership Bill was "destructive".

"If it is passed, it will devastate student representation, student services, and throw the tertiary sector into disarray," Mr Do said.

- Additional reporting by Matthew Haggart