The select committee considering the Government's new terrorism legislation reports back to Parliament today.
It is, in effect, the last real chance for Parliament to hear the concerns of those opposing the measures, for genuine debate, and for changes to be made and the brakes put on the controversial legislation.
Labour, NZ First and the Maori Party have supported the Bill's first reading to enable further debate, but even if they withdraw their support, the Government still has the numbers to push the measures through the House.
And there are valid concerns about both the content of the Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill, and the haste at which it is being pushed through.
The content of the Bill is in direct response to the threat posed by self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorists.
The legislation is expansive.
The omnibus Bill proposes amendments to three pieces of legislation: the Customs and Excise Act, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service Act and the Passports Act.
Notably, it includes provisions for the SIS to conduct video surveillance on private property for up to 48 hours without a warrant, and to allow the Government to suspend New Zealand passports for up to 10 days or cancel them for up to three years.
The Government's wish to have the legislation in place before Parliament rises for Christmas on December 10 means there has been little more than a nod to the normal democratic process.
The Bill was introduced last Tuesday, where it passed its first reading and was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, which had a day to hear submissions.
Despite being given no time, 600 submissions were made, mostly against the proposals.
The Government, SIS and security experts say the terrorism threat to New Zealand is real.
New Zealanders are lucky enough to be safe from much of the sort of violence and instability experienced in the world's hotspots, but although isolated we are not immune and it is right to consider our national security and update our responses and policies accordingly.
But it must also be remembered terror tactics by their nature are designed to provoke.
The fundamental values we treasure are the very same terrorists seek to extinguish.
Giving in to fear and intimidation and reacting by restricting rights and freedoms, fast-tracking the democratic process, and allowing more powers to our security services with the risk of less transparency and accountability is a big price to pay.
There has been no guarantee in the way of evidence that our safety will be enhanced because of these draconian measures.
Fast-tracking the process seems irresponsible given the vast range of issues to cover.
What seems more likely to happen is that, by not engaging in meaningful democratic debate and by marginalising individuals and sectors of the community, the result will be alienation, anger and resentment; fomenting discontent and creating the vacuum in which terrorism thrives.
In the scheme of things there are many more issues causing very real and immediate harm to New Zealanders.
Deaths as a result of domestic violence, drownings, car crashes, smoking, alcohol, obesity and diabetes, heart disease and depression are our country's killers.
Legislation to address some of them has taken months or even years to fine tune.
We have of late been forced to take a good hard look at ourselves, our values and freedoms, as evidenced for example by the Urewera raids, claims of illegal GCSB spying and the ''dirty politics'' which ensnared the SIS.
Lessons should have been learnt about state power and intervention.
New SIS director Rebecca Kitteridge says the service has thwarted attacks here, and that her job is to worry about terrorism threats so New Zealanders don't have to.
But New Zealanders are right to worry if the trade-off for safety (not guaranteed) is a reduction of civil liberties.
If changes are required, let them be done with cross-party support, and recourse to a full, proper and transparent democratic process.
Never does the idiom act in haste, repent at leisure seem more appropriate than now.
