Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

ACT accuses Labour of cynical delaying tactics

Updated at 3:26 pm on 3 June 2011

ACT MP Heather Roy is accusing the Labour Party of employing cynical delaying tactics in Parliament, and while doing so, wasting thousands of dollars of sitting time.

Labour strongly objects to the member's bill put forward by Mrs Roy, which would make membership of tertiary student associations voluntary.

Labour MPs have been filibustering during member's days debate since the start of the year in their attempt to stall the Voluntary Student Membership Bill's progress.

Mrs Roy says the delaying tactics have now become unreasonable and are also holding up other MPs' bills.

She says it costs Parliament about $450,000 to sit each hour, money which is being wasted by Labour.

Labour senior whip Rick Barker says Mrs Roy is trying to bulldoze objectionable legislation through Parliament, and the party will continue to do anything it can to oppose the bill.

He says if Mrs Roy is worried about the cost to Parliament, she should withdraw her bill.

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