KEY POINTS:
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen says significant changes are being made to the Electoral Finance Bill.
Responding to the second day of the Herald's campaign against the bill, Dr Cullen told journalists yesterday that people should wait until these were revealed before passing judgment.
He also suggested the Human Rights Commission, a critic of the proposals, would be satisfied with what it saw when the bill was reported back to Parliament.
The bill has been before a select committee and Dr Cullen said the legislation would be reported back "I think this week".
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The select committee meets tomorrow to deliberate on the bill and the changes it is going to propose. The committee tables its report in the House. The House will then hold a second reading debate - probably next week - before going through the bill, part by part, in the committee stage. The committee stage is where more changes can be made to the bill by any MP by way of supplementary order paper. It is also the stage where progress of the bill can be held up by filibustering with MPs moving many amendments. It would then receive a third and final reading.
THE COMMITTEE
Second-term Labour MP Lynne Pillay chairs the justice and electoral committee that has been considering the Electoral Finance Bill.
But no one doubts that the Labour MPs on the committee have been taking their steer on the bill from the Beehive's seventh and ninth floors.
Heather Simpson, Prime Minister Helen Clark's chief of staff, has been closely involved in negotiating changes to the bill with other parties, as has Dr Cullen.
On National's side, deputy leader Bill English has been calling the shots on the bill.
And for the Greens, Metiria Turei has closely consulted co-leader outside Parliament Russel Norman on what changes to support.
First-term National MP Chris Finlayson and fellow Wellington lawyer and first-term Labour MP Charles Chauvel sparred regularly over the legal aspects of the 601 submissions on the bill.
David Benson-Pope joined the committee shortly after being forced from the Cabinet over his handling of the Madeleine Setchell sacking from the Ministry for the Environment.
Ms Pillay's stewardship of the bill has been attacked by both National and her one-time opponent in Waitakere, former Alliance leader Laila Harre.
But the effectiveness of National's opposition to the bill was attacked this week by right-wing commentator Mathew Hooton on Radio New Zealand.
The composition of the committee replicates that of the finance and expenditure committee - which is deemed important enough to have every party represented onit.
The Maori Party is a voting member of finance and expenditure and because proportionality limits its vote across all committees to four, it has non-voting status on the justice and electoral committee.
Labour, the Greens, New Zealand First and United Future are expected to support the final bill.
National, Act and the Maori Party are expected to oppose it.
* Additional reporting - NZPA
