New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell. Photo/George Novak
A ten-year passport is certainly common sense. That's why New Zealand First was the first Party to argue in favour of the ten-year passport in 2001, when the Government first sought to change New Zealand passports to the lesser time-frame of five years. New Zealand First raised the debate again
in 2005, encouraging the Government to reinstate the ten-year passport. Now, this year, from the 30th of November, New Zealanders will once again be able to apply for ten-year passports.
Fourteen years may seem like a long time to keep a fight, but the reward of seeing more of our common sense principles becoming law is worth the time and energy we put into these measures each and every time.
It was a pleasure to stand in the House of Parliament this week and give my support for the return of the ten-year passport during the second reading of the bill that will finally bring back this long sought after measure. A bill that every political party in the House can agree on is a refreshing change to the usual heated debates we enter into each week as New Zealand First fights to introduce common sense into legislation.
We do regret that the ten-year passport is not retrospective. Whilst giving the House our full support, I did remind the Government that they quickly abolished the Kiwi-Saver Kick-Start program once announced. They didn't wait more than seven months before enacting the law. So, why not make the 10-year passport retrospective - at the very least to the date the Prime Minister announced the change on the 7th of April this year?
Either way, it's nice to take the time to reflect on the positive outcomes gained, before heading back into the House for another round.
