Attorney-General Judith Collins Warns Against Rushed Legislation

Attorney-General Judith Collins cautions her colleagues that ‘rushing legislation and skipping steps increase the risk that we get it wrong’

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Attorney-General Judith Collins has raised concerns about the Government’s heavy reliance on urgency to pass laws, urging ministers to follow proper legislative processes. In her March 25 letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Cabinet ministers, Collins highlighted risks posed by truncated policy development during the Government’s first 100 days. A record 13 laws were passed under urgency, with eight others advanced through shortened parliamentary stages.

Collins cautioned that rushing laws could lead to errors, unworkable outcomes, and unintended consequences. She tasked the Parliamentary Counsel Office with monitoring cases of inadequate policy development and overuse of urgency, escalating concerns when necessary. The Legislation Design and Advisory Committee will assist in ensuring proper lawmaking standards are met.

Since the letter, the Government has used urgency twice more, including passing 10 bills under partial urgency in June. Labour’s Kieran McAnulty acknowledged Collins’ integrity for addressing the issue, criticizing the Government for frequently bypassing select committee scrutiny. He warned that amendments would likely be required for rushed legislation in the future.

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