MPs doing a Saturday shift

File photo / Mark Mitchell

MPs are back at work today, as Parliament continues sitting under extended hours.

The Government is trying to push through a dozen bills under urgency, while Labour is doing its best to delay and draw out the debate.

Most of yesterday was taken up with a taxation bill, and it's likely members will sit until late tonight.

Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee says MPs have to work until the job is done, and may be back at it first thing Monday morning as Parliament's rules mean the House can't sit tomorrow.

Meanwhile, bad blood continues between Labour MP Trevor Mallard and National's Tau Henare.

The pair were involved in a testy exchange as Parliament sat under urgency.

Trevor Mallard described Mr Henare as a "chocolate covered banana" in an attack on his grasp of Parliament's standing orders. Mr Henare responded via his Twitter account, calling his opponent "a racist pig".

- NEWSTALK ZB