Greens dig in on party-hopping bill

WELLINGTON - The new minority oalition Government has been dealt its first big blow, with the Green Party flexing its muscles over a key campaign promise of both Labour and the Alliance.

The Greens have refused to support an urgency motion, to go before Parliament next week, unless Labour withdraws from it the anti-defection bill it promised to introduce by Christmas.

The standoff came yesterday at a meeting with Finance Minister Michael Cullen.

Both Labour and the Alliance campaigned heavily on their plan to stop MPs swapping parties after they enter Parliament, and planned to introduce legislation before Christmas.

They intended introducing the bill for referral to a select committee but cannot do that unless the bill is one of the measures MPs agree to hear under urgency.

New Zealand First has said it supports the anti-defection bill and deputy leader Peter Brown said last night that he did not see anything wrong with his party supporting the urgency motion.

"I wouldn't be averse to it going through urgency [but] I can't commit my colleagues at this stage; it would be unethical and improper."

However, NZ First does not support the Government's plans to raise taxes on income over $60,000, and that would have to be included on the urgency motion.

Green Party co-leader Rod Donald said Labour had indicated to him it might drop the anti-defection legislation off its urgency motion rather than seek NZ First support.

- NZPA