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Although the party understands that there is a need for an appropriate legal framework to operate within the different levels of Covid-19, National is understood to have strong reservations that the bill before the House this afternoon is too broad.
National is also concerned that the law is in effect for too long, that it is in effect for two years, or until Covid-19 has waned.
The bill is underway urgently, which means the first, second, and third reading will happen tonight.
The Herald understands that National will vote against the first reading, but is resisting pledging its support in the second and third reading to the House-wide committee on the bill, where the party will seek a series of changes.
But the bill is likely to pass even without National’s support in all three readings, as it has the support of Labor, New Zealand First and The Greens.
All National MPs voted against the bill rushing through the House urgently.
Speaking to the media before entering the House this afternoon, Bridges raised the alarm about some elements of the bill: He said he would “not rule out” the national vote against the bill.
He said his MPs would try to change some elements through what is called the committee of the entire phase of the chamber.
This is where parliamentarians can make last minute changes to legislation before it becomes law.
Such changes, according to Bridges, include seeking to increase maximum collection rules, reinforcing the numbers from 10 to 100 across the board.
National also planned to change the bill to allow for attending funerals and tangi.
Bridges questioned why people would be allowed to go to the movies, but not cry to a loved one.
“There may be sports games with physical contact, and yet, in one of life’s most tragic moments, a funeral, immediate family members cannot attend.
“That is not only unkind, it is inhumane. We can do better than that.”
The level 2 law basically gives effect to what was announced yesterday by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
It will go through the Chamber urgently, which means it will go through all three readings at once, making it law before the country goes to level 2 tomorrow night at 11:59.
That means there is no select committee process, where the bill can be expertly reviewed.
Attorney General David Parker said the bill would ensure that controls over people meetings and physical distance are still enforceable.
“There will be fewer restrictions under alert level 2, but the remaining ones should still be enforceable. We don’t want these tighter controls to depend on a national state of emergency,” he said.
While he believes New Zealanders would ‘do the right thing’, it is important to have “regulatory backing” to address alert level 2 behavior that is particularly detrimental to the public health goal.
