Parliament is likely to go into urgency in the coming weeks, but it is not the Government's plan to clear its crowded legislative programme ahead of the election, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
Miss Clark today declined to answer questions on the timing of the election or even offer hints about when she may dissolve Parliament.
The Government is keen to send a large number of bills through to select committees for the next Parliament to work on as well pass some others into law.
There are more than 50 bills parked on Parliaments's order paper with time running out for MPs to consider them.
Miss Clark said there was a lot of legislation before Parliament and she indicated the House would go into urgency - which extends sitting hours - at some point in the coming three-week session.
There was no intention of clearing the order paper (the Government's parliamentary agenda) and the Government would be prioritising what it dealt with and what was left alone, she said.
In the hours available this week, priority would be given to a major rewrite of the Police Act, the Public Transport Management Bill and the Walking Access Bill.
The emission trading scheme legislation was still a priority for the Government and if it gained enough votes it was ready to make progress in the remaining sessions of Parliament.
Parliament is due to sit for three weeks from this Tuesday, and there is then a one-week adjournment before the last scheduled session begins on September 23.
This Parliament will expire on October 6 and an election must be held by November 15.
Dissolving this Parliament before that time and setting the election date is entirely the choice of Miss Clark.
Most pundits are picking November 8 as the most likely election date, though some in National are still convinced it will be held as early as October 18.
