Mar 14, 2008

Dalziel In A Rush To Change Commerce ACT: Why?

Our survey of opinion from fellow bloggers on potential candidates for the Labour deputy Leadership threw up two names - Maryan Street and Lianne Dalziel.

Lianne introduced the Commerce Amendment Bill into Parliament yesterday and signalled a desire to have these major changes to the way lines companies and airports charge their clients.

Why the haste? The new regime isn't going to come into force until 2010, surely passage in 2009 will be fine?

But is this about bigger things? Does Lianne want to be seen to have done something big ticket and popular with consumers before the election? Is this about the Deputy Leadership when this eventually comes up? Parker has his emissions trading bill disaster to manage, Cunliffe has his wars on the health front to manage - both guarantee these Ministers lots of headlines. Does Lianne want her controversy?

There are some real questions about the wider Government motivation to move down this track. Is this policy in line with Treasury recommendations for example?

Watch this space.