Parliament to vote on RSA bill

Parliament will vote on a bill to exempt RSAs from having to apply for a special licence each year to serve a tipple to veterans on Anzac Day morning. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Parliament will vote on a bill to exempt RSAs from having to apply for a special licence each year to serve a tipple to veterans on Anzac Day morning.

The bill was put up by National MP Paul Foster-Bell at the request of the RSA and drawn from the members' bill ballot today.

It is expected to involve a personal vote by MPs, rather than along party lines, because it relates to alcohol.

It amends legislation which requires RSAs to get a special licence, costing about $500 each year, to serve alcohol before midday on Anzac Day.

Mr Foster-Bell said that affected the traditional "gunfire breakfasts" -- an Anzac Day tradition since the 1920s. Adding a shot of rum to coffee at breakfast recalled the repast taken by soldiers prior to battle and the rum ration was standard military issue of that time.

The same provisions had affected bars wishing to open to show early morning Rugby World Cup games this year, although Act leader David Seymour managed to get short-term legislation passed under urgency to exempt them during the tournament. That was passed 99-21 with support from all MPs other than the Greens, Maori Party and six Labour MPs.

Mr Foster-Bell said he hoped to get at least the same level of support for his bill. "I am sure Parliament never intended to suppress the RSAs. I think it is important, in this centennial year of Gallipoli, that we enable the harmless tradition of an alcoholic tipple being serviced at the conclusion of Anzac observances without undue cost."

Other bills drawn from the ballot include Green MP Catherine Delahunty's bill to prevent the compulsory acquisition of Maori land under the Public Works Act. "This bill was inspired by Patricia Grace and her whanau in Kapiti who were threatened with confiscation under the Public Works Act," Ms Delahunty said. Her bill would protect Maori land from being taken without consent.

Labour MP Peeni Henare's bill is aimed at prohibiting the import of goods made by slave labour. Mr Henare said it would bring New Zealand into line with countries like the United States and Belgium which have passed legislation to ban imports produced by slavery. "Slavery or coerced labour still exists in some parts of the world despite the abolition of slavery in the 18th century. Slave owners must not be allowed to profit from their crime and it is time New Zealand addressed coerced labour issues in our own backyard first."

A bill by National MP Shane Reti was intended to tidy up an anomaly in the Consumer Guarantees Act which defines "supplier" as both traders and creditors (lenders). "This is appropriate when the trader and lender are effectively the same. However, when the two are separate and at arm's length, recourse should be to the trader who made the sale and not the lender. In this case the lender has little or no influence on the sale and so should have no direct responsibility under the Act."

He said the bill was part of the Government's move to reviewing regulation to take out unnecessary requirements.