7 Oct 2011

Parliament holds final session ahead of election

6:02 am on 7 October 2011

Parliament held its final session on Thursday ahead of the general election and passed two bills under urgency.

The controversial Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill, which allows police to secretly film suspects, passed by 105 to 14 with the Maori Party, the Greens and Mana voting against.

The Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill, enacting a deal on overnight pay rates for disability care workers, passed with unanimous support.

MPs finished the parliamentary term with a lively adjournment debate which also doubled as an early campaign platform.

The Speaker of the House, Lockwood Smith, closed the debate by telling MPs the House had sat for a quarter of its term under urgency.

He said he hoped changes to Parliament's rules will mean less reliance on the use of urgency.

The general election will be held on 26 November.