The government will introduce legislation allowing extended parliamentary terms of four years but there is no guarantee it will be passed, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said on Thursday.
The legislation, part of the ACT-National Party coalition agreement, is subject to the same caveats as ACT’s controversial Treaty Principles Bill.
That means National has agreed only to take the legislation to select committee, with no commitment to pass it, and if it does go through the House it will be subject to a referendum before it comes into force.
“We want to hear what New Zealanders think during the select committee process,” Goldsmith said.
Even if a referendum on the Constitution (Enabling a 4-Year Term) Amendment Bill succeeded, there would still be major hurdles before a parliamentary term could be extended from three years to four.
Any government wanting an extra year in office would have to agree to change the membership of the select committees that scrutinise proposed legislation, making it easier for the opposition to control them, acting as an extra check on executive power.
“It is possible a referendum could be held alongside the next general election in 2026. However, any final decisions on timing for a referendum will depend on what comes out of the select committee process,” Goldsmith said.
Supporters of four-year terms argue the longer election cycle allows governments to properly bed in their legislative programs.
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